Are you struggling to keep your obstetrics unit fully staffed? With registered nurse shortages continuing to affect hospitals nationwide, labor and delivery units are feeling the pressure more than ever. Recruiting and retaining experienced OB nurses has become a significant challenge, making it difficult for hospitals to maintain safe, consistent care.
Nursing remains the most trusted profession in the U.S., according to Gallup’s annual poll. Yet despite the recognition and respect the profession receives, staffing shortages persist—and for labor and delivery units, they present one of the most critical patient safety risks. In Ob Hospitalist Group’s (OBHG) national Future of Obstetrics survey report, obstetricians identified nursing shortages as a top concern affecting maternal care quality.
As hospitals seek sustainable ways to support their clinical teams, OB hospitalist programs can provide meaningful relief. In addition to improving care quality and safety, OB hospitalists offer hands-on, daily support to nurses and midwives, helping reduce burnout and creating a more collaborative, empowered unit culture.
At OBHG, our model is built around multidisciplinary teams that work in partnership to deliver high-quality care. Our clinicians are fully integrated into the hospital’s culture, participating in daily board rounds, leading emergency drills, and offering real-time support to nurses. In fact, many of our hospital partners have reported reduced nursing turnover and improved staff satisfaction since implementing an OBHG program. According to OBHG’s latest partner survey, 86% of hospitals say OBHG has improved nursing staff performance. This is clear evidence that on-site collaboration and support makes a significant impact.
“The nurses like having that cushion,” shared a nurse manager at an OBHG partner hospital in California. “They feel more secure with the fact that there’s a physician in house in case they have a labor patient that’s going quickly, or maybe they’re sleeping or taking a little bit longer. They have somebody here to help them if they need it. They’re very happy to have them here.”
How OBHG clinicians support nurses
Here are a few of the ways OBHG clinicians strengthen and support the nursing team:
- Collaborating closely with nurses and midwives to manage multiple patients, provide education, and build strong, respectful partnerships that help hospitals recruit and retain talent.
- Reducing “scope creep” by helping ensure nurses are not asked to make clinical decisions outside their licensure, decreasing burnout and turnover.
- Leading well-coordinated, multidisciplinary teams that improve consistency across the unit and reduce preventable errors.
- Providing 24/7 on-site support and backup for community OBs, relieving nurses from high-pressure decisions during emergencies.
- Implementing evidence-based clinical protocols (e.g., for postpartum hypertension or hemorrhage) that promote safety and best practices across the unit.
- Staffing and managing Obstetric Emergency Departments (OBEDs) to standardize triage processes and free up nursing time for patient care.
- Improving patient satisfaction by supporting nurses in practicing at the top of their license, which enhances their own job satisfaction and engagement.
When labor and delivery units are supported by OB hospitalists, nurses can focus on what they do best—providing safe, compassionate care to their patients. By creating a more stable, collaborative environment, OBHG helps hospitals protect both their workforce and the families they serve.
Ready to learn how OBHG can help support your nursing team? Contact us today to explore how a customized OB hospitalist program can make a difference at your hospital.