Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary, Job Description, Duties
What do Labor and Delivery nurses do on a daily basis? What is the average salary of a Labor and Delivery nurse?
What is Labor and Delivery nursing?
Labor and Delivery nursing involves assisting families throughout the birth process, working on a team with physicians, midwives and other professionals. L and D nurses care for women during both normal and problematic pregnancies, providing information, guidance and hands-on clinical care. They are also important participants in the birth process
itself and are key sources of information and support for the whole family during the period following birth.
What do Labor and Delivery nurses do?
The Labor and Delivery nurse works in a clinic, hospital or birth center setting, assisting the physician or midwife with all aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. Nursing duties during the birth itself include monitoring fetal heartbeat and the length and strength of contractions, as well as administering medication, coaching the mother and assisting with
any complications that arise. Following the birth, they perform tests on the newborn and provide guidance to the mother on all aspects of recovery and infant care. The duties of an L and D nurse may include seeing expectant mothers in their prenatal visits, providing family support and teaching childbirth preparation classes. To see an expectant mother
through the journey of childbirth, daily L and D duties include
- Monitoring patients with high-tech diagnostic equipment
- Entering patient data into digital medical records systems
- Spending one-on-one personal time with birthing women
- Working holistically with families and providing a warm point of contact
What is the average Labor and Delivery Nurse salary?
According to indeed, in 2024 L and D nurses in permanent positions earn $2233 per week on average, which works out to $122,020 annually. Ziprecruiter puts the annual pay for Labor and Delivery travel nurses at ( $96,421), plus there can also be overtime and holiday pay. As with all careers, annual pay for Labor and Delivery nurses varies by region, facility, and experience levels. Because of the complex nature of Labor and Delivery nursing and the advanced training that is often required, the average pay rate for this specialty is typically higher than that for the average pay of all registered nurses.
How do you become a Labor and Delivery Travel Nurse?
Many hospitals specify that their L and D nurses have a bachelor’s degrees in nursing, which typically requires four years of study. Additionally, every RN must pass the NCLEX exam , administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Many L and D travel nursing jobs require at least two years of relevant hospital-based experience, with one year of
experience being the minimum. Your hireability will be enhanced with the following:
- Graduate school for one or two years to receive advanced certification in a specific field, becoming an Advanced Practice Nurse, Clinical Nurse Specialist, or Nurse Practitioner. These advanced certifications also require specific hours of clinical experience as well as graduate training.
- Most travel positions require some additional certifications as well, including
- Fetal Monitoring (FMC) certification
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certification
- Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) certification from the American Heart Association (AHA)
- Certified in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) by AHA and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Today's Labor and Delivery Travel Nursing Assignments
Last Modified On: Aug 09, 2019
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