Travel L&D Registered Nurse

A Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse provides specialized nursing care to pregnant patients during antepartum, intrapartum, delivery, recovery, and immediate postpartum phases. This role supports patients experiencing low-risk and high-risk obstetric conditions while promoting maternal and newborn safety throughout the childbirth process.

The L&D RN monitors maternal and fetal status, assists with vaginal and cesarean deliveries, manages labor interventions, and responds to obstetric emergencies within the nursing scope of practice. Collaboration with obstetricians, midwives, anesthesiology, neonatology, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams is essential to coordinate timely, patient-centered care.

Travel Labor and Delivery Registered Nurses work contract assignments in multiple healthcare facilities and must rapidly adapt to new clinical environments, unit workflows, documentation systems, and obstetric care protocols. Assignments may include floating to appropriate maternal-newborn areas when clinically qualified. Schedules may include rotating shifts, nights, weekends, holidays, and variable census-driven needs while maintaining safe, consistent patient care.

Responsibilities

• Assess maternal condition, fetal status, labor progression, pain level, and psychosocial needs throughout the labor and delivery process.
• Monitor and interpret fetal heart rate patterns and uterine activity, escalating concerns according to established clinical protocols.
• Administer medications, IV fluids, blood products, and labor-related interventions as ordered and within nursing scope of practice.
• Provide nursing support during induction, augmentation, epidural placement, vaginal delivery, cesarean delivery, and immediate recovery.
• Recognize and respond to obstetric emergencies such as fetal distress, postpartum hemorrhage, hypertensive crisis, shoulder dystocia, and emergency cesarean delivery.
• Assist with newborn stabilization, initial assessments, thermoregulation, feeding support, and transition to neonatal or postpartum care.
• Educate patients and families on labor expectations, pain management options, breastfeeding basics, postpartum recovery, and newborn care.
• Maintain accurate documentation of assessments, fetal monitoring, interventions, medication administration, delivery events, and patient responses.
• Collaborate with physicians, certified nurse midwives, anesthesia providers, neonatal teams, and postpartum staff to coordinate safe maternal-newborn care.
• Support infection prevention, patient safety, emergency preparedness, and adherence to obstetric nursing standards.

Qualifications

• Education: Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
• Licensure: Active Registered Nurse (RN) license. State licensure or compact licensure may be required based on assignment location.
• Certifications
• Basic Life Support (BLS)
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP)
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) may be required by facility or patient population
• Electronic fetal monitoring certification or documented competency may be required
• Skills: Strong obstetric assessment skills, fetal monitoring interpretation, clinical judgment, emergency response, medication administration, and maternal-newborn safety practices are essential. The role requires accurate documentation, effective patient education, clear communication, time management, EHR proficiency, and collaboration with obstetric, anesthesia, neonatal, and interdisciplinary care teams.

Experience

Minimum two years of recent Labor and Delivery RN experience is commonly required for travel assignments. Experience should include fetal monitoring, labor support, obstetric emergencies, delivery assistance, and immediate postpartum recovery. Additional experience with high-risk obstetrics, cesarean delivery support, and neonatal stabilization may be preferred depending on the assignment.

Preferences

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
• Advanced fetal monitoring education or certification
• Experience in high-risk obstetrics or high-volume labor and delivery units
• Experience with obstetric emergency response and postpartum hemorrhage protocols
• EHR/EMR experience
• Bilingual communication skills when applicable to the patient population

Benefits

• Medical Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plan (401(k))
• Travel Housing Support or Housing Stipend
• Travel Reimbursement
• Continuing Education Assistance
• Professional Development
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)