Obstetrics / Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nursing Career Resources

Obstetrics / Labor and Delivery nurses work in a branch of medicine dealing with the care of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

An obstetrics / labor and delivery nurse assesses women’s pregnancy concerns and needs, carefully monitors labour and assists with delivery of the newborn. An obstetrics / labor and delivery nurse typically administers care to women in a hospital or women’s clinic setting.

Obstetrics / Labor and Delivery nursing is practiced by nurses who have specialized formal, post-secondary education and who function in highly autonomous roles.

Labor and Delivery (L&D) registered nurses provide care to women and their newborns during the antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and neonatal stages of this important life event. They assess each mother and baby and develop an individualized plan of care. L&D registered nurses collaborate with physicians and other health care providers to provide the best plan of care for each patient. They implement the plan of care by monitoring the mother and baby and by teaching patients about their care and topics related to women’s health and newborn care. L&D nurses evaluate the effectiveness of the care plan and modify it as needed to meet the changing needs of the mother, newborn, and family. They also provide psychosocial and emotional support to patients and families.