4 answers
denise
Student
Arlington, Texas
3
Questions
Asked
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Should I be a labour and delivery nurse or a midwife?
If you could list the pros and cons or give me some insight on the career that would be truly appreciated .(any advice helps!!)
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4 answers
Stephanie Stogner
Registered Nurse
13
Answers
Louisburg, North Carolina
Updated
Stephanie’s Answer
Hello Denise,
What an insightful question you've asked! In the majority of regions, it's generally a prerequisite to first qualify as a nurse before transitioning into the role of a midwife. I would suggest that you set your sights on acquiring a nursing degree initially. Following this, you could venture into the labor and delivery specialty to gain first-hand experience and see if it resonates with you. This practical exposure should guide you in determining whether you'd like to delve deeper into this specific field of study.
Additionally, I wholeheartedly concur that seeking out an L&D nurse to shadow would be an excellent move. This will provide you with a real-world perspective of the job, further helping you make an informed decision about your career path. Keep up the great work, Denise!
What an insightful question you've asked! In the majority of regions, it's generally a prerequisite to first qualify as a nurse before transitioning into the role of a midwife. I would suggest that you set your sights on acquiring a nursing degree initially. Following this, you could venture into the labor and delivery specialty to gain first-hand experience and see if it resonates with you. This practical exposure should guide you in determining whether you'd like to delve deeper into this specific field of study.
Additionally, I wholeheartedly concur that seeking out an L&D nurse to shadow would be an excellent move. This will provide you with a real-world perspective of the job, further helping you make an informed decision about your career path. Keep up the great work, Denise!
Thank you so much and im trying to find a nurse or doctor to shadow right now and i definitely will get my nursing degree first
denise
Hana Kim
Student Nurse
4
Answers
Southborough, Massachusetts
Updated
Hana’s Answer
Hi Denise,
Based on my experience studying nursing at an accredited nursing school, having experience working at these fields in clinical rotations is very helpful.
When I was in my clinical rotations in labor & delivery, one thing I noticed was that labor & delivery nurses focused on caring for a lot of patients (all while doing pre-assessment, doing deliveries, and working post-partum) versus a midwife was spending time mostly at the bedside focusing on providing holistic care for a single patient. So the number of patients you want to care for can be a factor when considering between the two fields.
So definitely consider this when doing clinical or consider working as a Student Nurse while studying nursing or in the summer!
Based on my experience studying nursing at an accredited nursing school, having experience working at these fields in clinical rotations is very helpful.
When I was in my clinical rotations in labor & delivery, one thing I noticed was that labor & delivery nurses focused on caring for a lot of patients (all while doing pre-assessment, doing deliveries, and working post-partum) versus a midwife was spending time mostly at the bedside focusing on providing holistic care for a single patient. So the number of patients you want to care for can be a factor when considering between the two fields.
So definitely consider this when doing clinical or consider working as a Student Nurse while studying nursing or in the summer!
Chinyere Okafor
Educationist and Counseling Psychologist
401
Answers
Port Harcourt, Rivers, Nigeria
Updated
Chinyere’s Answer
Hello Denise,
Good question! Deciding between becoming a "labor and delivery nurse" or a **midwife** depends on your personal goals, level of desired responsibility, and how involved you want to be in the birthing process. Here's a comparison to help you evaluate each path:
Labor and Delivery Nurse (L&D Nurse)
Pros:
1. Fast entry into the field: You can start working as an L&D nurse after completing a "Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)" and passing the "NCLEX-RN" (Registered Nurse exam).
2. Collaborative environment: L&D nurses work closely with doctors, midwives, and other healthcare professionals to assist in deliveries and monitor mothers and babies.
3. Lower responsibility: Compared to midwives, L&D nurses typically have less legal and medical responsibility for the outcomes of deliveries, which can be less stressful.
4. Diverse tasks: L&D nurses perform a variety of roles, including monitoring vital signs, administering medication, assisting in C-sections, and offering emotional support to families.
5. Job availability: Hospitals and birthing centers often have a high demand for L&D nurses, offering many opportunities.
Cons:
1. Limited autonomy: L&D nurses follow doctors' or midwives' instructions and have less decision-making authority during the birthing process.
2. Shift work: L&D nurses often work long, irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
3. Less continuity of care: L&D nurses typically only see patients during labor and delivery, offering less opportunity to form long-term relationships with patients.
Midwife
Pros:
1. More autonomy: Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) can provide comprehensive care, including prenatal care, delivering babies, postpartum care, and even gynecological exams. They often work independently or in collaboration with physicians.
2. Holistic approach: Midwives often focus on natural birthing practices, patient education, and personalized care, which may appeal if you're interested in a more hands-on, natural approach to childbirth.
3. Long-term patient relationships: Midwives typically develop stronger, long-term relationships with their patients throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
4. Higher earning potential: CNMs generally earn more than L&D nurses due to their advanced education and greater responsibilities.
5. Variety of settings: Midwives can work in hospitals, birthing centers, or even assist in home births, giving more variety in work environments.
Cons:
1. Extended education: Becoming a midwife requires additional schooling beyond a BSN, typically a "Master’s in Midwifery" or a "Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)" with a midwifery focus.
2. More responsibility: Midwives have more responsibility for the health and safety of both the mother and baby during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, which can be stressful.
3. Legal risk: Midwives can face more legal risks and liability than L&D nurses because they are more directly responsible for patient outcomes.
4. Challenging work hours: Like L&D nurses, midwives often work irregular hours, as births can happen at any time.
Key Differences:
- Education: L&D nurses need an RN, while midwives require additional graduate-level education.
- Responsibility: Midwives have more autonomy and responsibility, while L&D nurses work more as part of a team under a physician or midwife's direction.
- Patient Interaction: Midwives typically have long-term relationships with patients, whereas L&D nurses focus on the delivery process.
- Salary: Midwives tend to earn more due to their advanced training.
Which is right for you?
- L&D Nurse: If you prefer starting your career sooner, enjoy a supportive role in the birthing process, and prefer to work within a structured team with less direct responsibility.
- Midwife: If you want more autonomy, enjoy forming deeper patient relationships, and are passionate about providing comprehensive maternal care.
Both careers are incredibly rewarding, and the choice comes down to your preferred level of involvement and responsibility in maternal care.
Best wishes!
Good question! Deciding between becoming a "labor and delivery nurse" or a **midwife** depends on your personal goals, level of desired responsibility, and how involved you want to be in the birthing process. Here's a comparison to help you evaluate each path:
Labor and Delivery Nurse (L&D Nurse)
Pros:
1. Fast entry into the field: You can start working as an L&D nurse after completing a "Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN)" and passing the "NCLEX-RN" (Registered Nurse exam).
2. Collaborative environment: L&D nurses work closely with doctors, midwives, and other healthcare professionals to assist in deliveries and monitor mothers and babies.
3. Lower responsibility: Compared to midwives, L&D nurses typically have less legal and medical responsibility for the outcomes of deliveries, which can be less stressful.
4. Diverse tasks: L&D nurses perform a variety of roles, including monitoring vital signs, administering medication, assisting in C-sections, and offering emotional support to families.
5. Job availability: Hospitals and birthing centers often have a high demand for L&D nurses, offering many opportunities.
Cons:
1. Limited autonomy: L&D nurses follow doctors' or midwives' instructions and have less decision-making authority during the birthing process.
2. Shift work: L&D nurses often work long, irregular hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
3. Less continuity of care: L&D nurses typically only see patients during labor and delivery, offering less opportunity to form long-term relationships with patients.
Midwife
Pros:
1. More autonomy: Certified Nurse Midwives (CNMs) can provide comprehensive care, including prenatal care, delivering babies, postpartum care, and even gynecological exams. They often work independently or in collaboration with physicians.
2. Holistic approach: Midwives often focus on natural birthing practices, patient education, and personalized care, which may appeal if you're interested in a more hands-on, natural approach to childbirth.
3. Long-term patient relationships: Midwives typically develop stronger, long-term relationships with their patients throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
4. Higher earning potential: CNMs generally earn more than L&D nurses due to their advanced education and greater responsibilities.
5. Variety of settings: Midwives can work in hospitals, birthing centers, or even assist in home births, giving more variety in work environments.
Cons:
1. Extended education: Becoming a midwife requires additional schooling beyond a BSN, typically a "Master’s in Midwifery" or a "Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP)" with a midwifery focus.
2. More responsibility: Midwives have more responsibility for the health and safety of both the mother and baby during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, which can be stressful.
3. Legal risk: Midwives can face more legal risks and liability than L&D nurses because they are more directly responsible for patient outcomes.
4. Challenging work hours: Like L&D nurses, midwives often work irregular hours, as births can happen at any time.
Key Differences:
- Education: L&D nurses need an RN, while midwives require additional graduate-level education.
- Responsibility: Midwives have more autonomy and responsibility, while L&D nurses work more as part of a team under a physician or midwife's direction.
- Patient Interaction: Midwives typically have long-term relationships with patients, whereas L&D nurses focus on the delivery process.
- Salary: Midwives tend to earn more due to their advanced training.
Which is right for you?
- L&D Nurse: If you prefer starting your career sooner, enjoy a supportive role in the birthing process, and prefer to work within a structured team with less direct responsibility.
- Midwife: If you want more autonomy, enjoy forming deeper patient relationships, and are passionate about providing comprehensive maternal care.
Both careers are incredibly rewarding, and the choice comes down to your preferred level of involvement and responsibility in maternal care.
Best wishes!
Thank you for the advice this definitely gave me more insight into both careers :)
denise
You are welcome!
Chinyere Okafor
Anissa Webb
Registered Nurse
2
Answers
Omaha, Nebraska
Updated
Anissa’s Answer
The nursing profession is vast. A career in nursing is exciting, especially with technology and innovation in mind for the future of nursing. Having the foresight to see where you will be in five or tens years is good practice for setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time) goals however you dont have to wait five or ten years to experience nursing.
One suggestion you can do now, is to shadow a Midwife or Labor and Delivery RN.
Another option, for now, is to enroll in the Certified Nurse Aide course to get some medical terminology and key nursing care supportive concepts that will help you gain technical and soft skills. Learning to take someone's blood pressure requires a technical skill but how you approach a person, talk to them, cross the physical boundary, and then gently reach out with your hand to touch them is a soft skill. Learning in this stage will help you define those goals when pursuing a higher degree.
Once you are a nurse aide and still not sure on Midwifery or L&D RN, then pursue a LPN or RN. Take your education slow until you know. For now, work with your school and local Birth and Infant Care Center for internship/ job shadow, then enroll in CNA course.
Hope this helps!
One suggestion you can do now, is to shadow a Midwife or Labor and Delivery RN.
Another option, for now, is to enroll in the Certified Nurse Aide course to get some medical terminology and key nursing care supportive concepts that will help you gain technical and soft skills. Learning to take someone's blood pressure requires a technical skill but how you approach a person, talk to them, cross the physical boundary, and then gently reach out with your hand to touch them is a soft skill. Learning in this stage will help you define those goals when pursuing a higher degree.
Once you are a nurse aide and still not sure on Midwifery or L&D RN, then pursue a LPN or RN. Take your education slow until you know. For now, work with your school and local Birth and Infant Care Center for internship/ job shadow, then enroll in CNA course.
Hope this helps!
Thank you I'm taking a course at a college/ career center that teaches us all about taking blood pressure, how to talk/ transfer patients and all those kinds of things but i will definitely try to find a L&D nurse to shadow c: !!
denise