About Kimberly E. Heathcote, BSN, RN, MSN Nurse Educator Candidate, Preceptor, AS in Business AdministrationN
Labor & Delivery Nurse, Author, Educator
Meet Your Guide
Kimberly E. Heathcote, BSN, RN, MSN Nurse Educator Candidate, Preceptor, AS in Business Administration, is a seasoned Labor & Delivery nurse with over a decade of experience and tens of thousands of bedside hours caring for families through one of the most powerful and intimate experiences of their lives. She has supported over 1,000 births, offering the calm presence, clinical expertise, and heartfelt guidance that only a seasoned bedside nurse can provide.
Before entering nursing, Kim worked in the business world, where she developed the communication, leadership, and organizational skills that now shape her work as both a nurse and an author. But it was in the delivery room — surrounded by mothers, babies, and the raw truth of birth — that she discovered her true calling. Nursing became the place where her compassion, strength, and purpose converged.
Kim is also currently pursuing her Master of Science in Nursing Education, furthering her commitment to teaching, mentoring, and elevating the next generation of nurses. This academic pursuit enriches her writing with evidence-based insight, educational clarity, and the clinical wisdom of an actively practicing L&D nurse.
Her debut book, Welcome to Labor and Delivery: A Bedside Companion to Your Childbirth Experience, was born from her desire to stay at the bedside long after her bedside days end. Written while actively practicing in Labor & Delivery, the book offers real, honest, and deeply supportive guidance that resonates with expectant families everywhere. p>
Kim is the creator of the growing "Welcome to…" series, an expanding collection of patient-centered and nurse-centered books designed to educate, empower, and advocate across every stage of the birth and nursing journey. Upcoming and i n-development titles include:
Birth of a Nurse (next for publication) — Birth of a Nurse explores the raw, real journey of becoming a nurse—from the earliest sparks of calling to the realities of bedside care that no textbook can fully prepare you for. This book lays the foundation of what nursing truly is: the emotional weight, the unspoken pressures, the victories, the heartbreaks, and the resilience required to keep showing up.
It dives deep into hospital culture, unit dynamics, communication, hierarchy, burnout, and survival skills, teaching new nurses not just how to function—but how to protect their identity, confidence, and purpose in a demanding system. This is a guide for navigating the hospital world with clarity, courage, and self-respect, while learning how to thrive in a profession that will both shape and challenge you.
Professional Experience
RN, BSN
Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
RNC-OB
Registered Nurse Certified in Obstetrics
C-OBE
Certified Obstetric Educator
DONA
DONA International - Doula certification
Over a decade of Experience
Over a decade of Labor & Delivery experience
Clinical Hours
Tens of thousands of clinical hours at the bedside
Why I Wrote This Book
The inspiration for this book was born from a simple truth: I wanted a way to stay at the bedside long after my bedside days are over.
By writing this book while still working as a bedside nurse, I ensure every page is infused with genuine experience, real-time knowledge, and the deep passion that only an actively practicing nurse can bring. My goal is for patients to feel seen, supported, and understood—for my voice to be the steady, reassuring guide they can turn to no matter where they give birth or who is caring for them.
This book is my way of holding the hands of thousands more families—long after I step out of the delivery room.
Ready to Feel Confident About Your Birth?
Join thousands of parents who walked into the delivery room feeling informed, prepared, and empowered.