Rozina Aziz As the patient’s caretaker, a perinatal nurse is responsible for their care during pregnancy. They do more than treat people; they teach patients, partners, and families how to properly care for everyone, from the newest addition to the care to the oldest.
Knowing the ins and outs of the perinatal nurse job market will help you make educated decisions about your professional future. We’ll cover what perinatal nurses do, what they are paid for, their employment outlook, how to get into the field, and some of the questions about this specialty.
What is a Perinatal Nurse?
The role of the perinatal nurse is to inform and empower pregnant women about their unborn child. Care for expectant mothers and their newborns is the focus of perinatal nurses from the beginning of pregnancy through the first month of the infant’s life.
A perinatal nurse’s primary responsibility is to educate patients, partners, and family members on how to care for themselves throughout pregnancy. Their focus is on preparing expectant mothers for the birth of their child and preparing them to bond with and care for their newborn following the birth.
When giving birth, women are supported by perinatal nurses, who are also on hand in case of difficulties. Finally, perinatal nurses educate family members on how they may help the expecting mother during her entire pregnancy and beyond.
What are the Characteristics of a Perinatal Nurse?
To be a successful perinatal nurse, it is important to possess certain characteristics.
- Work well under pressure
- The ability to stay calm under pressure
- The ability to make quick decisions
- Excellent communication skills
- Excellent documentation skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to multitask
- Patience
- Caring attitude
- Dedication to work
- Love for babies
- Love for maternal nursing
- Ability to work long hours
- Ability to be on-call all hours of the night
- Ability to adapt to change
What Do Perinatal Nurses Do?
The responsibilities of a perinatal nurse are many. Some perinatal nurses assist their patients beginning in the prenatal period and continuing through the immediate postpartum period.
Some perinatal nurses focus solely on one facet of the field. The work of a perinatal nurse can be broken down into the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum stages.
Antepartum:
Antepartum nurses typically care for high-risk pregnant women and must remain hospitalized until they give birth. The duration of the process may be short or long, depending on the health hazard. A midwife’s responsibilities before delivery include checking on the health of the mother and baby from the outside, giving medications and keeping tabs on how the patient is doing.
Labor and Delivery:
Labor and delivery Laboring mothers are under the care of nurses from the time they are admitted until after the newborn is born. In addition, they help women who have had labor induced, and they may even be present during cesarean sections.
Postpartum:
Following childbirth, the patient is transported to a post-delivery locale and nurses provide care within the delivery suite. A postpartum nurse aid in caring for both the mother and her newborn, ensuring that they get the proper drugs and assisting with breastfeeding. They also do some neonatal screenings.
What is the work environment for a perinatal nurse?
Perinatal care may find employment in a wide range of medical institutions, including but not limited to the following:
Maternity ward:
Perinatal nurses provide care to expectant mothers in the maternity ward of a hospital. They also assist the nurse and educate new parents on infant care.
Gyn Ward:
Perinatal nurses work in an OB/GYN clinic to assist expectant mothers in getting ready for their future deliveries. In addition to preparing families for childbirth, they also offer postpartum care.
Medicine and nursing at home:
Most perinatal nurses work in hospitals, although some may visit patients at home. They ensure expectant mothers have everything they need to have a healthy and happy baby and offer them support and services throughout their pregnancy.
What qualifications are needed to work as a perinatal nurse?
These are some of the abilities commonly found in perinatal nurses:
Communication:
A perinatal nurse employs this competence to interact with patients and other medical professionals. They can enlighten patients and their loved ones because of their excellent communication skills.
Empathy:
This competence helps perinatal nurses grasp their patients’ points of view. Showing this to their patients is a great way to earn their confidence.
Collaboration:
Perinatal nurses use this expertise to work with other healthcare team members. Effective coordination helps ensure patients receive optimal care.
What duties do perinatal nurses perform?
Tasks that are typically assigned to perinatal nurses include:
- Work in tandem with medical professionals and midwives while in childbirth.
- Perform a thorough assessment and check the patient’s vital signs; note any risk factors and communicate them to the obstetrician.
- Inform the patient and their loved ones about prenatal care, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum concerns, and bonding activities.
- Monitor fetal stress tests in addition to routine blood and urine testing
- Maintain oversight of surgical and patient care technicians
- Provide continuous comfort to the expecting mother in the delivery room.
- Guide new mothers through the breastfeeding process.
- Speak with the new mother and offer advice on postpartum concerns such as umbilical cord care, postpartum depression, and more.
How to become a perinatal nurse?
Even though the specific procedures of becoming a perinatal nurse may vary from person to person, these are the broad strokes:
Get a degree in nursing:
Earning a nursing associate’s degree or a Bachelor of Science in nursing is a good first step toward a career in this field. To become a registered nurse in the United States, you must take the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN). After you pass the exam, you can obtain a license to start working as a Registered Nurse (RN) in your state.
Obtaining a master’s degree:
Employers prefer a master’s degree in nursing but not always required. Earning a master’s degree calls for both classroom learning and professional experience. Both will help you build on the foundation of knowledge you laid during your undergraduate studies. Nursing is always evolving, and a master’s degree can help you enter higher-level positions. A master’s degree in nursing plus a post-certificate master’s in a subspecialty are typically required for careers like advanced practice registered nurse, perinatal nurse practitioner, or clinical nurse specialist.
Gain your NP certification:
Perinatal nurse candidates that hold NP degrees are highly sought after by many employers. This route demonstrates to potential employers that you are committed to your chosen field. Plus, it may help you advance in your chosen field and earn more money. A doctoral degree is required to practice nurse practitioner. If you meet the prerequisites, you can also pursue NP-specific qualifications.
What is the average salary of a Perinatal Nurse?
PayScale reports that perinatal nurses earn an average of $70,228 per year. Perinatal nurses’ wages will depend on several factors, including the organization they work for, the state in which they are located, the nurse’s level of schooling, the credentials and certifications she has earned, and the years of experience in the area.
In addition to competitive annual compensation, perinatal nurses receive comprehensive benefits packages, including health insurance, vacation time, retirement savings plans, and other valuable resources.
Conclusion
perinatal nursing is a rewarding career that offers the opportunity to help bring new life into the world. To become a perinatal nurse, individuals must pursue a degree in nursing, obtain their NP certification, and gain experience in the field. The earning potential for perinatal nurses is very competitive, with salaries averaging $70,228 annually with comprehensive benefits packages.
