Question:
Dear Donna,
I need some guidance regarding the career I am fulfilling. I want to assist the doctors or midwifes in the delivery room, but I'm not sure what I need for that. Will I be a labor and delivery nurse, or do I have to get a BSN?
Diana
Dear Donna replies:
Dear Diana,
Presuming you are not already a nurse, you can become a labor and delivery (L&D) technician and assist with cesarean sections and other deliveries and occasionally provide some direct and indirect patient care. For this position, only a high school diploma is necessary. It would also be a great first step toward a nursing career.
If you wish to become an L&D nurse, you would need to complete one of three types of RN programs (diploma, associate degree, bachelors degree) and sit for a state licensure exam. You would then seek employment in that specialty. If you do opt to attend nursing school, the BSN route will give you the most opportunities and is becoming the standard in the profession. If you go this route, you can become a student member of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses www.awhonn.org while in nursing school.
Best wishes, Donna
