[hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”aboveTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Obstetrics Nurse Career in Brief[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]An OB/GYN nurse cares for pregnant women before, during, and immediately after labor, while an obstetrics nurse practitioner (NP) may oversee the birthing process. Both obstetrics nurses and NPs also care for women’s health-related needs, such as routine pelvic exams, birth control advice, and other reproductive health issues.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Obstetrics nurses perform these key duties:[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Where Do Obstetrics Nurses Work?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Obstetrics nurses work in hospitals, private practices, birthing centers, and clinics. What do OB/GYN nurses do in these settings?[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Labor & Delivery Units[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Obstetrics nurses function as part of a healthcare team which includes physicians, nurse midwives, or OB/GYN NPs. Since many hospitals assign the same nurse to an expectant woman, obstetrics nurses often work in antepartum (for high-risk pregnancies) and postpartum care units as well.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Prenatal Clinics[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Obstetrics nurses educate pregnant women and family members, perform tests to assess maternal and prenatal health, and help develop birth plans.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]Women’s Health Clinics[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]Obstetrics nurses conduct testing that a physician or an NP orders and determine if symptoms require referral to a physician, nurse midwife, or OB/GYN nurse practitioner.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Neonatal Nurse vs. Obstetrics Nurse[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How to Become an Obstetrics Nurse[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-dynamic-experience placement=”belowTheFold” /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]How Much Do Obstetrics Nurses Make?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]According [hen-ui-link href=”https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=OB%2FGYN_Clinical_Nurse/Hourly_Rate” target=”_blank”]to PayScale[/hen-ui-link], the average salary for an OB/GYN nurse is $61,520, with base salaries ranging from $45,000-$104,000. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that nurse practitioners, in general, earn a median annual wage of $111,680 and nurse midwives make $111,130.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]All RN jobs are projected to grow by 7% from 2019-29, a much faster rate than the national average. However, growth rates for obstetrics nurse jobs vary by geographic area due to regional differences in birth rates.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-grid columns=”2″ gap=”md”][hen-ui-article-card title=”Find State-Specific Salary Data” href=”/registered-nursing/” size=”compact” border=”stroke”][/hen-ui-article-card][hen-ui-article-card title=”Average Salary for an OB/GYN Nurse” href=”/careers/ob-gyn-nurse//” size=”compact” border=”stroke”][/hen-ui-article-card][/hen-ui-grid][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Frequently Asked Questions About a Career as an OB-GYN Nurse[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]What does an obstetrics nurse do?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]An obstetrics nurse cares for pregnant women during pregnancy and labor, women who are experiencing pregnancy-related complications, and new mothers and infants recovering from childbirth. In a hospital setting, obstetrics nurses also work with NPs or physicians to provide routine or urgent women’s reproductive healthcare. Education is an important part of an obstetrics nurse’s job too, especially those working with new mothers or mothers with health conditions.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]How long does it take to become an obstetrics nurse practitioner?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]It takes two years to earn an ADN and four years to earn a BSN. Inpatient obstetric nursing certification requires two years of nursing experience and 2,000 hours of OB/GYN nurse experience. Prospective obstetrics NPs spend two years earning a [hen-ui-link href=”/degrees/msn/types-of-masters-degrees-in-nursing//”]master of science in nursing[/hen-ui-link]. Though a doctorate is not required to be an NP, some go on to complete a doctor of nursing practice which typically takes three or more years.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″]What is a nurse’s role during childbirth?[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″]An [hen-ui-link href=”https://nursejournal.org/careers/ob-gyn-nurse/how-to-become/”]OB/GYN nurse[/hen-ui-link] practitioner or nurse midwife can supervise births. Licensed obstetrics RNs may work in collaboration with the physician, NP, or nurse midwife to monitor the mother’s and infant’s vital signs and provide support for the mother.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Resources for Obstetrics Nurses[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-list variant=”unordered” bullet-style=”check”] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.awhonn.org/” target=”_blank”] Association of Womens Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] AWHONN provides continuing education and professional development opportunities related to womens and infants health. The organization publishes journals and newsletters, issues practice briefs, and hosts a job board.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”http://www.nationalperinatal.org/” target=”_blank”] National Perinatal Association[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] NPA works to make pregnancy and childbirth safer and improve womens and infants health through clinical guidelines, professional development, and advocacy. There are membership categories for healthcare professionals, nonprofits and associations, corporations, and parents.[/hen-ui-list-item] [hen-ui-list-item][hen-ui-heading variant=”h3″][hen-ui-link href=”https://www.amwa-doc.org/” target=”_blank”] American Medical Womens Association[/hen-ui-link][/hen-ui-heading] This association is dedicated to promoting womens healthcare policies and initiatives related to women, such as gender equity. Though focused primarily on women physicians, membership is open to all womens healthcare professionals at the supporter level, including OB/GYN nurses.[/hen-ui-list-item][/hen-ui-list][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Related Pages[/hen-ui-heading] [hen-ui-article-row variant=”slider” ids=”41269,34368,45611″][/hen-ui-article-row][hen-ui-separator /][hen-ui-heading variant=”h2″]Reviewed by:[/hen-ui-heading][hen-ui-flex direction=”column” gap=”lg”][hen-ui-expert-bio name=”Brandy Gleason, MSN, MHA, BC-NC” img-src=”https://res.cloudinary.com/highereducation/image/upload/e_grayscale/v1617058506/experts/Brandy_Gleason.jpg” img-alt=”Brandy Gleason, MSN, MHA, BC-NC” layout=”horizontal” background=”none” /][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Brandy Gleason, MSN, MHA, BC-NC, is a nursing professional with nearly 20 years of varied nursing experience. Gleason currently teaches as an assistant professor of nursing within a prelicensure nursing program and coaches graduate students. Her passion and area of research centers around coaching nurses and nursing students to build resilience and avoid burnout.[/hen-ui-text][hen-ui-text variant=”b4″ slot=”contentRight”]Gleason is a paid member of our Healthcare Review Partner Network. Learn more about our review partners [hen-ui-link href=”/healthcare-review-partners//”]here[/hen-ui-link].[/hen-ui-text][/hen-ui-flex]