A Habit That Heals
Friday was summer solstice marking the longest day, the shortest night, and the beginning of summer. Summer can be lazy or hectic, endless or fleeting. …
We’re an organization full of passionate neonatal therapists who aim to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes for premature and sick infants. This is what we love. And they (babies and families) are why we do the work.
Sue Ludwig
During my years as a national consultant, I noted that while some NICUs had robust and deeply experienced neonatal therapy (OT, PT, SLP) teams, others had none. Alternately, some therapists were told to just ‘cover’ the NICU without being properly trained or mentored in age-appropriate care. And here’s the thing: if I was a parent sitting at the bedside of my fragile 2 pound daughter, and a therapist began seeing her, I would completely assume that the therapist was specially trained to work in such a unique environment. In the early-mid 2000s, I couldn’t swear that was the case, not consistently, not all over the U.S. or all over the world. Neonatal therapists are a highly professional, passionate, and driven group of people. I knew we could do (and wanted to do) better. It started to keep me up at night.
What happened from that moment until the official founding of NANT in October of 2009 is a longer story for another time.
For now, know this: the work you do as a neonatal therapist is life-altering. Your work positively affects the trajectory of a baby’s development for a lifetime. In order to advance this specialty clinically, scientifically, and academically, you need reliable resources and a community of people who truly understand what you do for a living. You also need to be sustained personally, yes, personally. Why? Because WHO YOU ARE as you put your hands inside the portholes of the incubator matters to the tiny person who is on the receiving end of you.
NANT is designed to support you professionally and personally. It is an honor and a privilege to serve you.
Professional Partners for NICU Education
The SOFFI Method SM: Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants
Presented by Erin Ross
July 19, 2019 – July 20, 2019
Englewood, NJ
August 9, 2019 – August 10, 2019
Minneapolis, MN
Tangible. Specialized. Current. Connected.
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Build expertise at your own pace. Access highly specialized content presented by experts in the field on your own schedule.
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Keeping up with current evidence and practice shouldn’t feel like a mandatory sentence. We want it to feel simple and accessible. Once a month you’re invited to participate LIVE in an online Special Topic Call (webinar style) presented by expert clinicians and researchers in the field of neonatal therapy.
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Do you ever wonder if you’re doing the right thing at the bedside? Or how other NICUs manage certain patient populations or challenges? Or who to connect with (in the world) regarding your latest QI or research project? (You’re not alone!) We created a safe place for you to find answers to your most urgent questions. During monthly Inner Circle Mentoring Calls you gain reliable access to real humans who know a lot about what keeps you up at night.
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Feel the relief of finally connecting with people who understand what you do for a living. Whether online or at our annual national event, you’ll find that NANT Members are highly collaborative, friendly, and clearly driven by a shared vision to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes for infants and families.
Friday was summer solstice marking the longest day, the shortest night, and the beginning of summer. Summer can be lazy or hectic, endless or fleeting. …
The theme for NANT 10 is: Celebrating Milestones. As neonatal therapists, your role is steeped in supporting the attainment of developmental milestones in the NICU and …
If you’ve never had the pleasure of learning from Holly Schifsky, please consider doing so. She is simply one of the best teachers I’ve had …
