Nurse practitioners do not deliver babies. To become an obstetrics-gynecology nurse practitioner (GNP), a nurse must complete additional training and practice programs to become a certified nurse-midwife. They should earn a nurse-midwife certificate to be qualified for delivering babies.
However, nurse practitioners specialize in providing prenatal care, handling pregnant women, providing examinations, and assisting with labor and deliveries.
But can nurse practitioners deliver babies?
In the USA, according to the American College of Nurse-Midwives, almost 8% of nurses are certified with nurse-midwife to have babies.
The delivery and labor are nurses are licensed to give the women care throughout the birth process by practicing an advanced degree in obstetrics and gynecology or women’s health.
What Are the Duties of Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioners?
The labor and delivery nurse practitioners are licensed to perform examinations, screenings, diagnostic tests, and provide postpartum care.
Usually, the nurse practitioners can provide the labor and pre or post-delivery care, but they are not allowed to have the baby independently.
To become a certified nurse-midwife, one should get and train as an advanced obstetrics-gynecology nurse practitioner (OGNP).
The duties of labor and delivery practitioners assist the pregnant patient on a labor and delivery unit in grouping with the nursing staff through monitoring contractions and labor progression, providing pain relief, and monitoring the well-being of the mother and infant.
Labor and delivery nurse practitioners are an essential part of the health care team that helps deliver the baby while ensuring the health safety of the baby and newborn during labor, through the delivery and postpartum period.
An expert certified nurse-midwife should also have expertise on women as well as on neonatal. It is expected from them to give balanced care to the newborn as well. Good labor and delivery nurse practitioners have experience dealing with any situation like vaginal delivery and cesarean section.
Where Do the Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioners Perform Their Duties?
Mostly labor and nurse practitioners can work in the hospital setting in delivery and labor. They might also practice clinic settings as well, and some are also working in fertility clinics under the supervision of the doctors or head nurse.
They can assist throughout the delivery process, but they do not deliver the baby physically without any supervision until an advanced certified nurse-midwife.
Nurse practioners also practice at clinics in conducting the patients, providing the visits for pregnant women, and giving productive prevention care for women.
Why Become a Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioner?
Nurses are the essential elements of the operative teams. They can assist the women in bringing a new life to the world. Labor and delivery nurse practitioners can make a great bond with the parents and are available at the happiest moment of their life. They have a rewarding career with advanced practice and skills.
Also, having a good salary package up to 6 digits, the flexibility of working in different settings can assist in the home delivery and provide the comfort of home to the pregnant women.
What Is the Average Salary of a Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioner?
The average salary of the labor and delivery nurse practitioner depends on the setting, location, experience, and the hospital. Years of experience, credentials, certifications, and level of education increase the salary. The national average salary for labor and delivery nurse practitioners is about $111,000-$113,000.
The salary depends on the state and country where the labor and delivery nurse practitioners practice. However, California is the highest paying state for labor and delivery nurse practitioner.
What is the Starting Salary of a Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioner?
A labor and delivery practitioner’s salary starts at about $82,000 with a per hour rate of $39.86 and a monthly rate of $6,910. The salary relies on the setting, private hospital, birth-giving centers.
What is the Process of Becoming a Labor And Delivery Nurse Practitioner?
The labor and delivery nurse practitioners are the ones who provide care for pregnant women with contraction, birt giving process, postpartum as well as have expertise on the neonatal care as well. Here are the following step by step processes of becoming a labor and delivery nurse practitioner;
- Graduate from high school.
- Apply to a college for a four-year bachelor’s program or two-year associate degree.
- Pass the National Council Licensure of RNs NCLEX.
- Earn Registered Nurse licensure.
- Get the experience of 2-3 years in labor and delivery.
- Complete bachelor if not completed.
- Earn a specialty certificate.
- Apply to graduate school.
- Graduate from an accredited Nurse Practitioner Program.
- Pass the National Certification Exam.
- Earn state license.
- Apply for the position.
- Earn Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).
Summing Up:
Labor and delivery nurse practitioners are skilled professionals that provide care to pregnant women with their expertise in the labor and delivery process. But can nurse practitioners deliver babies? The answer is No; they can not have the infants independently.
They play a vital role in pregnant women’s delivery and labor process. Nurse practitioners specialize in providing prenatal care, handling pregnant women, providing examinations, and assisting with labor and deliveries.