Perinatal Nurse Career Overview

How Long to Become: 2-4 years Average Annual Salary: $78,268 (Payscale) Job Outlook (2024-2034): 5% growth for all RNs Education: ADN or BSN Certification: Optional

Perinatal nurses provide healthcare for pregnant patients and education for the whole family. You work under physicians or nurse practitioners and may supervise nursing assistants. A perinatal nurse practitioner can serve as a patient's primary care provider during pregnancy; after labor and delivery, neonatal nurses often take over care of the infant. The role leans on communication, empathy, collaboration, and teaching.

Where Perinatal Nurses Work

Maternity wards. You assist with birth and provide immediate care like helping the infant nurse, and you educate new parents and families on infant care.

OB/GYN offices. You prepare pregnant patients and their families for the birth, help develop birth plans, and provide followup care.

Home health services. You help set up healthy home environments for infants, serve as a resource for expecting families, and monitor patient health.

Perinatal vs. Neonatal Nursing

The two specialties overlap, but the focus differs. Perinatal nurses care for the pregnant patient across all stages of pregnancy. Neonatal nurses provide specialized care for newborns.

Perinatal nursing covers the patient during and after pregnancy and the infant right after birth. You educate patients on prenatal health and what to expect after delivery, and you watch for complications like gestational diabetes.

Neonatal nursing interacts with patients late in pregnancy or just before birth, often caring primarily for infants with health complications and frequently working in neonatal intensive care units. Neonatal nurses also have access to a wider range of certifications.

How to Become a Perinatal Nurse

1. Earn a BSN or ADN. An ADN takes about two years, a BSN about four. Some perinatal jobs require a BSN. If you plan to become a nurse midwife or nurse practitioner, you will eventually need a master of science in nursing (MSN), which requires a BSN or a bridge program.

2. Pass the NCLEX-RN for licensure. The exam runs up to six hours and covers all aspects of nursing: physiological and health conditions, safety and risk control, basic nursing practice, and legal and ethical issues.

3. Gain perinatal experience. Entry-level perinatal nurses get extensive on-the-job training.

4. Consider perinatal or obstetric certification. Most advanced jobs require or strongly prefer it. The National Certification Corporation offers inpatient obstetric nursing and maternal newborn nursing certifications.

5. Advance with an MSN or doctorate. For more autonomy, responsibility, or pay, pursue an advanced practice credential like nurse practitioner or nurse midwife. Both require an MSN or doctorate.

How Much Perinatal Nurses Make

Payscale reports an average annual base salary of $78,268 for perinatal nurses. Move into advanced practice with an MSN or DNP and the ceiling rises sharply: nurse practitioners earn a median of $129,210 a year, and nurse midwives earn a median of $128,790.

The job market is healthy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects RN roles to grow 5% between 2024 and 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.

Resources for Perinatal Nurses

• National Perinatal Association: research, guidelines, professional development, and advocacy for perinatal health. Membership is open to healthcare professionals, organizations, and individual stakeholders, including parents.
• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses: continuing education, professional development, awards and scholarships, a journal, and a job board. Open to all, though only RNs can vote and hold office.
• The Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing: a peer-reviewed quarterly from Wolters Kluwer Health, each issue built around a specific topic, with continuing education credit available for some articles.
• National Association of Neonatal Nurses: mentoring, networking, continuing education, a career center, and a journal. Open to RNs and nursing students.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take? Between 2-4 years: two for an ADN, four for a BSN. Advanced jobs often require certification, which usually means two years of perinatal experience.

Who do perinatal nurses report to? Physicians or advanced practice nurses such as nurse midwives. You may supervise nursing assistants, and once an infant is born you may transfer care to a neonatal nurse.

How do you advance? Through experience, education, and certification. Advanced practice roles like nurse midwife or nurse practitioner pay more.

What about perinatal mental health? Postpartum depression is the best-known condition, but patients also experience anxiety, and trauma during pregnancy can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder. Perinatal nurses often educate patients on these conditions and their warning signs.

Reviewed by Nicole Galan, RN, MSN