Reports to: Head Nursing Services

ABOUT WASHINGTON HEALTHCARE 

Founded in 2015, Washington Healthcare PLC has emerged as Ethiopia's premier healthcare provider, operating two medical centers with 80 beds, two pharmacies, and a diagnostic center with over 300 healthcare professionals serving more than 2 million patients. We combine cutting-edge technology with Washington State's healthcare expertise to deliver exceptional care to both local communities and international patients through our commitment to accessibility, excellence, and innovation.

The Labor and Delivery (L&D) Nurse is responsible for providing comprehensive, safe, and compassionate nursing care to women during labor, childbirth, and the immediate postpartum period. The role involves maternal and fetal assessment, labor monitoring, assisting with deliveries, managing obstetric emergencies, supporting families, and collaborating with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to ensure optimal maternal and neonatal outcomes.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Clinical Duties:
  • Provide direct nursing care to women throughout labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period.
  • Conduct comprehensive maternal and fetal assessments, including monitoring maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate patterns, uterine contractions, and labor progress.
  • Identify actual or potential complications and promptly initiate appropriate nursing interventions and escalation procedures.
  • Administer prescribed medications, intravenous fluids, blood products, and other treatments in accordance with established protocols.
  • Assist obstetricians, gynecologists, anesthetists, pediatricians, and other healthcare professionals during labor, delivery, cesarean sections, and obstetric procedures.
  • Monitor and support women receiving labor induction, augmentation, pain management, and anesthesia services.
  • Provide care for high-risk pregnancies and laboring mothers under the direction of the healthcare team.
  • Assist in normal vaginal deliveries and support emergency obstetric interventions as required.
  • Perform newborn assessments immediately after birth and provide routine neonatal care until transfer to the appropriate unit.
  • Initiate neonatal resuscitation and emergency interventions when indicated and within scope of practice.
  • Promote patient safety through adherence to infection prevention, medication safety, and maternal care standards.
  • Support breastfeeding initiation, skin-to-skin contact, and early maternal-newborn bonding.
  • Provide emotional support, counseling, and reassurance to patients and their families throughout the childbirth process.
• Administrative Duties:
  • Maintain accurate, detailed, and timely patient records, labor progress notes, fetal monitoring documentation, medication records, and nursing reports.
  • Collaborate closely with obstetricians, anesthetists, pediatricians, midwives, nurses, laboratory personnel, and other multidisciplinary healthcare professionals.
  • Participate in patient admissions, transfers, referrals, deliveries, and continuity of care activities.
  • Ensure compliance with infection prevention and control protocols, patient safety standards, and hospital policies.
  • Ensure proper utilization, maintenance, and readiness of labor room equipment, fetal monitoring devices, neonatal resuscitation equipment, and emergency supplies.
  • Participate in maternal and neonatal quality improvement initiatives, incident reporting, audits, and patient safety programs.
  • Support efficient patient flow and bed management within the Labor and Delivery Unit.
• Educational Duties:
  • Provide comprehensive education and emotional support to patients and families regarding labor, delivery, postpartum recovery, newborn care, breastfeeding, and discharge instructions.
  • Educate mothers and families on recognizing warning signs requiring urgent medical attention after discharge.
  • Participate in clinical training, continuing professional development, and competency assessments.
  • Support orientation and mentorship of newly assigned nurses, midwives, and students within the Labor and Delivery Unit.
  • Stay updated with current evidence-based practices, maternal health guidelines, obstetric care standards, and neonatal care recommendations.