Become an OB/GYN Nurse

Are you a compassionate person who wants to help new parents and ensure the healthy birth of babies? Being an OB/GYN nurse might be right up your alley! An OB/GYN nurse is an RN who works alongside obstetricians, gynecologists, and other nurses before and after childbirth. While your work environment can be fast-paced and unpredictable, it's also one of the most rewarding jobs in healthcare. After you become an RN, you can start working in the OB/GYN field right away. OB/GYN certification is optional, but might improve your career prospects.

Steps

Becoming an RN

1. Get a high school diploma or GED. A high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) is required for admission to nursing programs, in addition to minimum scores on the SAT or ACT. The minimum score required varies depending on the program. As an example, the University of Alabama in Huntsville requires a minimum of 18 on the ACT or 960 on the SAT.
   • Depending on the type of nursing program, you might need to seek general admission to the college or university first, then apply separately to the nursing school. Plan ahead because those spots can fill up fast!
2. Choose an accredited nursing program. The best programs will be accredited through either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). The program will list its accreditation prominently on its website.
   • Nursing programs may be accredited at the regional and national levels. With a nationally accredited program, you'll have more versatility in job location and selection. Programs that are only regionally accredited may not be accepted by some State Boards.
   • Check with your State Board of Nursing to make sure that your program is accepted and that you'll be able to sit for the licensing exam when you graduate. If you're planning on going to school in a different state than the state where you want to practice, check with the State Board where you want to practice.
3. Complete your post-secondary nursing education. To become an RN, you need either an associate's degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor's degree (BSN). The ADN program typically only takes 2 years. However, with a BSN, you can go on to earn other advanced degrees if you choose.
   • A BSN might provide you with more job options and opportunities for advancement than an ADN — but either degree will allow you to sit for the RN exam.
   • While you're in school, take courses on labor and delivery, obstetrics, gynecology, and perinatal nursing to prepare you for the OB/GYN specialty.
4. Do clinical rotations in the OB/GYN field. Your nursing degree includes a clinical requirement, which you can fulfill with obstetrics or gynecology rotations when those become available. This will help you get more hands-on experience in the field, which increases your chances of finding work in the field after graduation.
   • Clinicals are often combined with lecture classes on the same topic, so you get experience in the field at the same time you're studying it in the classroom.
5. Study for the Pass the NCLEX exam. The NCLEX-RN exam is a national test all RNs are required to take. Plan on studying for at least 1-2 months specifically for the exam before you take it. Create a study schedule with days for studying and taking practice exams.
   • For example, you might study for 1 hour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and take a practice test on Saturdays. As for how you study, choose study methods that match your particular learning style.
   • Since the actual exam is on a computer, it will be difficult for you to simulate testing conditions when you take your practice tests. However, you should at least limit the time you have to 4 hours, the amount of time you'll have on the actual test.
6. Apply for an Authorization to Test (ATT) from your nursing regulatory body (NRB). Go to https://www.ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm to get contact information for the NRB in your state or region. They'll let you know how to get an ATT. Your nursing program might also be able to help.
   • Your NRB will confirm that you've met their educational requirements to sit for the test. If you're missing anything, you'll have to take additional courses before you can be authorized to take the test.
7. Register for the NCLEX-RN exam. Go to the Pearson VUE website (http://www.pearsonvue.com/nclex) to register online for the exam. You can pay the examination fee using a credit, debit, or prepaid card with a VISA, MasterCard, or American Express logo.
   • As of 2020, the exam fee is $200. You'll also need to pay a licensure fee to your nursing regulatory body. These vary depending on your location. Your NRB will provide information on licensure fees and other requirements when you pass the exam.
8. Take the NCLEX-RN exam to get your license to practice. Arrive at your testing site at least 30 minutes early and bring a government-issued photo ID with you. You'll have up to 4 hours to complete the exam.
   • Your exam is graded as you progress. If you get too many incorrect answers as you're taking the exam, it will automatically shut off and you won't be allowed to complete it. At the same time, it will also shut down early once you've achieved enough correct answers to pass.
   • Your NRB will mail your results to you approximately 6 weeks after you take the test.

Finding a Position as an OB/GYN Nurse

1. Draft a targeted résumé that emphasizes related skills and experience. When you're just starting out, you may not have a lot of experience specifically in the OB/GYN field that you can highlight. Just focus skills and personality traits that are valuable for OB/GYN nurses instead.
   • For example, being an OB/GYN nurse requires a lot of compassion and empathy, so you might emphasize volunteer work you've done in a hospice or similar facility.
   • Include information about courses you took during your nursing program that are specific to the OB/GYN field, as well as any clinical experience you had in the field while in school.
2. Check job listings at local hospitals. Many OB/GYN nurses get their start in the maternity ward of a local hospital, and job listings are posted regularly. Your nursing program may also have connections with a local hospital that can help you get started.
   • Even if you can't get into the maternity ward initially, you might be able to find work in another part of the hospital, then transfer when the opportunity presents itself.
3. Network with obstetricians, gynecologists, and other nurses. Most OB/GYN nurses work in private practices, and many of those job openings aren't listed publicly. Talking to people in the OB/GYN field and letting them know that you're looking for a position can help you get your foot in the door.
   • Ask obstetricians and gynecologists for recommendations as well. They might know someone else who's looking for an OB/GYN nurse.
   • The Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and the National Association of Neonatal Nurses (NANN) both have career centers on their websites with information about open positions in the field. You can access these career centers without joining the associations.
4. Apply for positions that capture your interest. Tailor your résumé to specifically match the listings you're interested in, including keywords that are used specifically in the listing. The career services office at your nursing school can help you with this.
   • Keep track of the résumés you've sent out and schedule follow-up calls or emails if you don't hear back after a week.
   • Do a little research on places that have openings before you apply. Try to weave information you've learned about the location into your cover letter to show that you're interested in working specifically for them.
   • Don't be afraid to apply for positions at places that come highly recommended, even if the specific opening isn't exactly what you're looking for.
5. Present yourself well at your interviews. Wear professional attire or, at a minimum, business casual (slacks or a skirt and a nice top or sweater). Even though you'll likely be wearing scrubs at work, they aren't suitable interview attire. Arrive at least 15 minutes early and bring copies of your résumé along.
   • Let potential employers know that you intend to get certified as an OB/GYN nurse. This will make you a more valuable candidate because it shows your dedication to the field.
   • Within 24 hours of your interview, send along a personalized thank-you note to your interviewer.
6. Arrive early for your first day. When you accept a position, find out exactly what you're expected to bring with you on the first day and get everything ready the night before. Show up at least a half an hour early so you have time to introduce yourself to the others working there and get set up as an employee.
   • Depending on the size of your new employer, you might spend a lot of your first day in orientation meetings. But if you're out on the floor, be ready to listen and take notes. Pay attention to what everyone says and ask questions to clarify anything you don't understand.

Getting OB/GYN Nurse Certification

1. Work a total of 2,000 hours in 2 years as an RN in obstetrics. This minimum experience requirement is not an either/or requirement. You must work in obstetrics for at least 2 years and work a minimum of 2,000 hours during those 2 years. Experience includes direct patient care, education, administration, or research.
   • So, for example, you couldn't work a total of 2,000 hours over the course of 3 years. You also wouldn't be eligible if you worked 2,000 hours over the course of 1 year.
   • Your experience in the field of obstetrics also must be within the past 24 months.
2. Choose specialties and sub-specialties to be certified in. The National Certification Corporation (NCC) offers certification exams in the core areas of Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB), Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN), Low-Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-LRN), and Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC). You can choose to be tested in more than one core area.
   • In addition to the core areas, NCC also offers testing on many sub-specialties, such as electronic fetal monitoring, neonatal pediatric transport, obstetric and neonatal quality and safety, care of the extremely low birth weight neonate, and neonatal neuro-intensive care.
3. Study for your certification exam before you register for it. The NCC has study guides available for all of the exams offered. The study guide includes sample test questions and an outline of the areas of knowledge the exam will test. Use the outline to prepare your own study materials that cover each of the areas.
   • For example, the Inpatient Obstetric Nursing exam is made up of multiple-choice questions, of which 29% cover complications of pregnancy, 18% cover fetal assessment, 35% cover labor and birth, 15% cover recovery, postpartum, and newborn care, and a final 3% cover other professional issues related to obstetric nursing.
4. Submit your application for testing. Go to the NCC website at https://www.nccwebsite.org and create an account so you can submit your application for the certification exams you want to take. There aren't any application deadlines, so you can apply for an exam at any time. As of 2020, the fees are $325 for computer testing for each exam.
   • It can take from 1-14 days to process and approve your application. If you're eligible, you'll receive an email with information on how to schedule your exam appointment. It must be scheduled within the first 30 days of the eligibility window provided in the email.
   • When you submit your application, make sure you're ready to take the test within the next 90 days.
   • Before your test date, you'll be sent a practice exam that you can try at home on your own computer.
5. Report for your exam on your scheduled date. Your exam will be held at an AMP Assessment Center near you. Make sure you arrive at the testing center at least a half-hour before your appointment. You'll have 3 hours to complete the test, which consists of 175 multiple-choice questions.
   • If you're late and have to reschedule, you'll be charged a $125 fee. If you fail to report for your exam, you won't receive a refund of your testing fees, so make sure you're ready and available to be there on your scheduled day.
6. Wait to receive your official report in the mail. NCC will mail your official results and score report within 15 days of the date you took the exam. Test results are not available by phone or email.
   • After your results are mailed, you'll see the pass/fail status on your NCC account. However, your certification isn't official until you receive your results in the mail.
   • The official result is pass/fail. Exact test scores aren't given.

Tips

• Learn as much as you can about the female reproductive system, how it works, and how it affects the body during pregnancy.
• While salaries vary widely among states and employers, the median annual salary for OB/GYN nurses is $68,450, as of 2020.

Warnings

• This article covers how to become an OB/GYN nurse in the US. Other countries might have different procedures and certifications that are required. Talk to a local OB/GYN nurse to find out what you need to do.

References

See also

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