L&D Nurses: The Real Delivery Room Superstars
By Anita Wong, contributor
It's a joyful occasion when a mother takes her newborn into her arms for the first time, but there were likely many exhausting, difficult hours leading up to this moment. Through it all, she had her L&D nurse by her side.
It takes a concerted effort by the entire delivery team to bring a child into the world, but as a delivery nurse, you're on the frontlines with the mother. It takes a savvy combination of medical expertise, communication skills and compassion to get mom and baby through the daunting process of labor and delivery.
Here are just a few of the contributions from L&D nurses that make them the shining stars of the delivery ward.
Keeping things calm
There are many intense feelings in a delivery room. Patients are anxious about giving birth, frightened when complications arise, exhausted from laboring and in grief if the outcome isn't what they expected.
As a L&D nurse, you're a calm and steady anchor through every step. A skilled delivery nurse advises, supports, comforts and stays resilient for patients who may be caught in a storm of emotions. This is an important role, as stress on the mother makes labor more difficult and can even affect early lactation.
Coordinating the medical team
Depending on the hospital and the patient, the delivery team may include the doctor, midwife, nurse practitioner, anesthesiologist, specialists, residents, interns and medical students. While your colleagues may only be in the room occasionally, you're the constant for the patient.
As a result, L&D nurses need strong communication skills to liaise between the patient and the rest of the team. Your expectant mom relies on you to be assertive enough to advocate for her needs.
Providing hands-on care
A delivery nurse provides essential medical care including assessing vital signs, monitoring the fetal heartbeat, checking the cervix, measuring contractions and helping induce labor. You may also need to prepare your patient for epidurals, administer medication, help manage nausea and vomiting and assist with surgery.
Labor and delivery are unpredictable. Hemorrhages, emergency C-sections, breech births and placental abruptions mean you must quickly shift gears and help manage the situation.
An essential part of this role is making informed recommendations with the well-being of mom and baby in mind, encouraging your patient to balance a birth plan with what's best for their health.
Coaching your patient through labor
No matter how many books a patient reads before childbirth, the pain of contractions and labor can catch them off guard. An article in the journal Reviews in Pain notes that women have different perceptions of labor and pain. Often, those who have never given birth rate labor pains higher than those who have experienced childbirth.
One of the essential roles of a L&D nurse is reassuring mom that she can deliver her baby, whether she gives birth with a few pushes or after hours of difficult labor and whether she copes well or is overwhelmed.
L&D nurses help their patients change laboring positions, breathe and work through contractions. No matter how long labor takes, you're there to encourage her through it all.
Preparing new parents to go home
The satisfaction of placing a bundle of joy in mom's arms is unsurpassed, but your work doesn't end there. An L&D nurse monitors the mother to ensure she's stable and recovering, checking her incisions and watching for swelling or bleeding.
You're also an important part of helping parents transition to taking care of their child, providing guidance with latching and feeding and reading infant cues. This is essential information for parents who may be uncertain about their new responsibilities.
L&D nurses also set the foundation for a healthy start by advising patients what to watch for postpartum, such as signs of depression and adequate nutrition.
Travel nurse opportunities
As the heart of the labor and delivery room, L&D nurses are in demand to work in hospitals, birthing centers, health clinics and doctor's offices across the United States.
If you're a delivery nurse, consider travel assignments for a unique opportunity to practice in different settings and make a difference to expectant mothers throughout the country. Explore current opportunities for L&D nurses and take a step toward a fulfilling career as a travel nurse in the locations of your choice.