Charting a Course: How to Become an OB Navigator

Course overview

Charting a Course: How to Become an OB Navigator is a one-hour continuing education course designed for registered nurses and obstetric nurses interested in exploring or transitioning into the OB Nurse Navigator role. This course introduces the purpose, scope, and value of obstetric nurse navigation within the continuum of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and follow-up care. Learners will review how OB Nurse Navigators support patients through care coordination, education, advocacy, resource navigation, and continuity of care. The course compares the bedside OB nursing role with the navigator role and highlights how navigation can improve communication, follow-up, access to services, and patient experience across obstetric settings. Content includes common practice environments for OB Nurse Navigators, such as hospitals, outpatient clinics, perinatal programs, public health departments, community health programs, private practices, and high-risk pregnancy programs. The course also addresses populations commonly served by OB Nurse Navigators, including patients with high-risk pregnancies, complex medical or social needs, limited access to care, rural barriers, language or cultural needs, and postpartum follow-up challenges. Participants will examine essential competencies for success in the OB Nurse Navigator role, including communication, patient counseling, interdisciplinary collaboration, cultural competence, trauma-informed care, leadership, ethical decision-making, documentation, outcome tracking, and quality improvement. The course also introduces professional development pathways, relevant organizations, and practical strategies for nurses who want to move toward an OB navigation role. Instructional methods include PowerPoint-supported lecture, case vignettes, interactive discussion, reflection prompts, and knowledge checks. By the end of the course, participants will be able to define the OB Nurse Navigator role, identify practice settings and populations served, and describe the key skills and competencies needed to function effectively in this evolving area of obstetric nursing practice.