Question!

[middlek]

:stoneI have been considering becoming an OB nurse,but I have been told you need to be an RN first. I don't think I could handle regular nursing. Is there an alternative way of becoming an OB nurse? If not is there something similar?

[middlek]

Thanks, that did help. I was a little confused.

I do have another question. What about midwifery?

[paintedbison]

You can enter midwifery either from becoming an RN... then applying to a masters level certified nurse midwife program. Or, you can become a lay midwife (CPM). These are people with no medical background... they usually apprentice with another CPM to learn the trade. So, you can become a CPM without being a nurse.

Another option if you don't want to go the nursing route but want to get into the ob field is to look at being a doula. They function as a labor support person to the mother.

[SmilingBluEyes]

First, welcome! You've posted your question in the right place. :)

Let me see if we can clear some things up for you.

If you want to be an OB nurse, you have to go to nursing school. Really no way around that. :) OB units tend to prefer RNs (vs. LPNs) so that would be your best bet. Community colleges offer nursing programs, as do many four-year universities, so there is more than one way to get there. (We have a whole forum dedicated to that!)

Once you are done with nursing school, you have to take the licensure exam to obtain your license to practice as an RN. Once you have your RN license you can work in most any field of nursing, including OB. Some places prefer that you have a year or two of 'experience' - and the definition of that varies from place to place. Other places hire brand-new RNs right off the bat into OB.

To make things even muddier, some units house Labor and Delivery, nursery, high-risk antepartum, and postpartum all together so RNs in those unit are cross-trained to do all those things. The unit I work on, staffs labor and delivery separately. I don't work l & d; I do nursery, postpartum, and high-risk antepartum. Other units house the high-risk antepartums in a separate unit. Pretty much any combination of the above you'd probably be able to find depending where you go. :)

So 'OB nurse' can mean a lot of different things! I hope this makes a few things clearer. Keep asking questions if you need to.

Excellent, helpful post. I hope all the folks who answered here, were able to help you. you received some great advice. I wish you good luck in your endeavor to be an OB nurse.