How to Become a Labor and Delivery Nurse
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Credit: FatCamera / E+ / Getty ImagesLabor and delivery nurses play crucial roles in the birthing process, working closely with a multidisciplinary team to ensure the health and safety of both mother and child.
To enter the field, you need an active registered nurse (RN) license. While an associate degree in nursing (ADN) is sufficient, many employers prefer their nurses to hold a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN). Learn more about how to become a labor and delivery nurse, including education, licensure, and certification requirements.
How Long to Become
2-4 years
Degree Required
ADN or BSN
Certification
Basic and Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support*
*Some employers offer Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) on site or cover the cost after hire, but having it ahead of time can give you a competitive edge when applying.
What Is a Labor and Delivery Nurse?
Labor and delivery (L&D) nurses specialize in caring for individuals before, during, and immediately after childbirth. They must function with compassion, strong communication, and critical thinking skills in an environment where emergencies can quickly develop.
Responsibilities include monitoring fetal heart rates, identifying potential risks, and assessing labor progression. L&D nurses also support the obstetric team during vaginal and cesarean deliveries and provide early postpartum care and education to new parents.
Work settings may include hospitals, birthing centers, and maternity units, where these nurses collaborate with multidisciplinary teams of obstetricians, nurse-midwives, anesthesiologists, and pediatric staff. They are frequently in demand for travel nursing roles because of their specialized skills.
Because every patient is unique, L&D nurses must offer age-specific, culturally sensitive care tailored to individual needs.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.
Steps to Becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse
To become a labor and delivery nurse, you must have a two- or four-year nursing degree, an active RN license, and clinical experience. Employers may also request basic life support and advanced cardiac life support certifications.
- 1
Earn an ADN or BSN Degree from an Accredited Program
An L&D nurse must first earn an ADN or a BSN. An ADN program typically takes two years and includes foundational nursing skills. A BSN program generally takes four years and provides more in-depth coursework and clinical training. ADN-prepared nurses can pursue an RN-to-BSN program, and those with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree can qualify for an accelerated BSN program that takes roughly 12-18 months to complete.
- 2
Pass the NCLEX to Receive RN Licensure
You are eligible for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) after earning an ADN or BSN from an accredited school. This standardized computer adaptive exam tests your knowledge and decision-making in critical areas of nursing. It is the final step before obtaining your state RN license to practice.
- 3
Gain Experience in Obstetric Nursing
New graduates interested in working in an L&D unit may need to begin in other nursing units to gain a broad foundation of clinical practice experience. Some hospitals hire new RNs directly in hospital labor and delivery units, but most require one or two years of experience to handle the unique challenges of an L&D unit. Postpartum or couplet care units are often great starting points, providing exposure to maternal and newborn care in a less-intense setting. Some hospitals offer nurse residency programs or clinical rotations for recent graduates.
- 4
Consider Earning a Specialty Certification
After gaining experience, certifications can validate your expertise. The National Certification Corporation (NCC) offers several examinations, including core certifications in maternal newborn, inpatient obstetric nursing, and inpatient antepartum nursing. They also offer subspecialty certifications in reproductive health and infertility, electronic fetal monitoring, and obstetric and neonatal quality and safety. Core certifications require at least 2,000 hours of specialty experience. However, subspecialty certifications do not have work experience requirements, making them accessible earlier in your career.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers a neonatal resuscitation program to disseminate evidence-based neonatal resuscitation education. These certifications can increase your earning potential, job prospects, and leadership opportunities.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Education
L&D nurses must graduate from an accredited ADN or BSN nursing program and take the NCLEX-RN to begin clinical practice. While an ADN is the minimum educational requirement for nursing practice, a BSN is typically preferred by employers. However, you can start with an ADN for a faster entry into the field and pursue a BSN while working in another area of nursing.
ADN Degree
An ADN is a two-year degree that qualifies you to take the NCLEX-RN for licensure and prepares you for entry-level nursing roles. The program meets the minimum requirements for practice and provides a faster and more affordable way to enter nursing. However, many employers prefer or require a BSN, particularly for advanced roles or specialty positions.
- Admission Requirements: A high school diploma or its equivalent; math and reading courses and a writing proficiency exam; minimum 2.5 GPA; prerequisite courses
- Program Curriculum: 60-70 credits in developmental psychology, microbiology, human anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, family health nursing, and nursing clinical hours
- Time to Complete: 1-2 years
- Skills Learned: Clinical training to monitor and care for patients; using catheters and tube feeding systems; dispensing medication; clinical experience in a healthcare facility
BSN Degree
A BSN is a four-year nursing degree that provides a comprehensive educational experience in clinical care, leadership, and public health. Licensed RNs may complete an RN-to-BSN bridge program or an accelerated BSN program more quickly. According to study data, treatment from BSN-prepared nurses results in better patient outcomes, lower death rates, and fewer hospital readmissions.
- Admission Requirements: Minimum 3.0 GPA or higher, some programs are flexible and accept 2.5; high school diploma or equivalent, or an ADN degree; resume; letters of reference; a personal essay; clinical or volunteer experience is not required in all programs but highly recommended
- Program Curriculum: Biomedical statistics and research; evidence-based practice; nursing fundamentals; physical assessment in nursing; pharmacology; leadership and management; community health; medical-surgical nursing; psychiatric and mental health nursing
- Time to Complete: 2-4 years
- Skills Learned: Critical thinking; evidence-based practice; clinical assessments; information management; patient care technology; leadership and management
Labor and Delivery Nurse Licensure and Certification
All RNs must meet state-specific requirements to maintain their licensure, including continuing education hours, renewal period, and state-specific regulations.
While certifications are not mandatory, they demonstrate your expertise, commitment to maternal care, and improve your job security.
Each of the following examples has eligibility and renewal requirements:
Neonatal Resuscitation Program
Designed to improve neonatal health outcomes by providing evidence-based guidelines and hands-on training.
Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB)
Provides a competency-based validation of nurse knowledge and its application. Nurses are eligible after two years of specialty experience providing hospital-based care during antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn periods.
Care of the Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonate (C-ELBW)
For nurses who provide care to seriously ill and extremely low birth weight babies and their families. Practice experience is not required.
Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN)
A competency-based exam for nurses with a current RN license and at least 2,000 clinical hours of specialty experience and employment in that specialty within the last 24 months.
Inpatient Antepartum Nursing (RNC-IAP)
Eligible nurses must have a current and unencumbered license in the U.S. or Canada, 24 months and 2,000 hours of specialty experience, and employment in the specialty in the past 24 months.
Working as a Labor and Delivery Nurse
Labor and delivery nurses provide essential care to mothers and newborns throughout childbirth, requiring adaptability, quick decision-making, and clinical skill. The role offers both fulfillment and challenges.
When you want to advance your career, roles like women’s health nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife, provide a more independent practice. You may also choose to move into leadership, education, or administrative positions.
Labor and delivery nurses can earn a comfortable living, with the national average annual salary of about $73,300 as of April 2025, according to Payscale data.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Labor and Delivery Nurse
A labor and delivery nurse cares for patients before, during, and immediately after childbirth. They monitor vital signs, administer medications, assist with labor and cesarean deliveries, and provide emotional support. These nurses work closely with physicians and midwives to ensure safe outcomes, responding quickly to changes and emergencies during the birthing process.
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