About Obstetric Nurses

Obstetric nurses are professionally trained and educated nurses who assist patients and doctors during labor and delivery. While their role during the delivery can range in level of participation, obstetric nurses are a vital part of modern pregnancy and birth. As one of the oldest nursing professions in the world, obstetric nursing is a highly popular field of medicine. Today college courses are offered to those interested in this particular field of nursing.

History

For hundreds of years, nurses or midwives have been assisting during births and giving prenatal care to pregnant women. With doctors often scarce, unofficial midwives would help new mothers with the birthing process as well as with caring for their newborn. In the early 1920s, midwifery started to gain attention as an established profession and the title of obstetric nurse was born.

Significance

Originally, the profession of obstetric nursing was developed in response to high rates of infant and maternal mortality. With many women and infants dying due to lack of prenatal care, labor education and post-natal care, there was a panic spreading. Childbirth was one of the most common causes for death in young women. Thus, experienced mothers began to professionally assist pregnant women in their area. By the 1950s, education programs for obstetric nursing and midwifery emerged, allowing for proper labor and delivery training.

Function

Obstetric nurses can play various roles in pregnancy, labor and delivery. Throughout pre-natal visits some women will find they are evaluated by obstetric nurses instead of their doctor. In large practices a pregnant woman might see her OB nurse each month for measurement, weight changes and to hear the baby's heartbeat. She may only see her doctor every two months for updates or if a problem arises. Thus, the nurse can play a large role in pregnancy. In addition, OB nurses are prominent players in hospital labor and delivery rooms.

Types

While there are multiple names for an obstetric nurse, the basic duties of these nurses are the same. Some practices use terms like labor and delivery nurse (LD Nurse), Midwife or Pre-natal nurse. Some of these variations require different certifications. However, they all have similar functions and assist in pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum care.

Misconceptions

Many people (most often newly pregnant women) have misconceptions about the role an obstetric nurse plays in pregnancy and birth. Often they assume a doctor will do most of the work throughout their labor. However, the reality is that a laboring woman will be monitored more by her obstetric nurse than her doctor. Of course the nurse reports any news to the doctor. But, the nurse administers possible medication, checks for dilation and can even deliver the baby if the doctor doesn't arrive on time. In fact, many doctors don't even show up to the birthing site until a woman is fully dilated.