Special Interest Group Update
A Letter from the Editor
Ashley Richardson
Welcome to 2025, fellow NANN members! My name is Ashley Richardson, and I am honored to serve as the new NANN E-News editor. I am deeply grateful to my predecessor, the exceptional Tosha Harris, DNP, APRN, NNP-BC, who dedicated four years to this vital role. Her extensive experience in neonatal care, evident in this newsletter through her insightful discussions of key research findings, was invaluable in providing crucial information to the nursing community. I currently serve as an Assistant Nurse Manager at a Level IV NICU in Los Angeles, California. While I have been a practicing NICU nurse for 17 years, the NICU has been in my blood since birth. I was born at 32 weeks myself, and as a nurse, I am committed to modeling the care my mom deserved almost 40 years ago when I was a NICU patient.
When I was approached to take on this role, I was initially hesitant. Would I be the right fit for this role? Reflecting on my year in NANN’s Emerging Leaders Program gave me the mental boost I needed because of the emphasis on the service of being a leader. I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the neonatal nursing community and recognize the nurses at every level who ensure that our NICUs run safely and effectively. I truly believe that all the babies we care for deserve meaningful care and attention, and I hope I can help inspire others to continue providing that level of care.
The integrity of the work of the previous editors will continue as the writing team and I provide you with articles and topics that highlight the interests of our NANN community. The population we serve deserves to have representation that reflects the backgrounds and experience levels of those in this workforce. For those who have been itching to contribute and share knowledge or share your perspective on an interesting topic, this newsletter is an opportunity for you to do just that. I challenge you to jump out of your comfort zone (like I am doing at this very moment) to tell us your stories and educate the community about the new things you have learned.
My passion while being a neonatal nurse has always been education-focused, but recently, my focus has shifted from bedside nurses to parent education. We can (and do!) perform miracles in the hospital every day, but it is all for naught if we do not provide families with the tools and knowledge to not only survive but thrive. We can acknowledge the NICU is a traumatic place for both healthcare workers and the families who experience it. If you have not read Tosha’s feature article, ‘Trauma-Informed Care and Psychosocial Support for NICU Families,’ from the July 2024 newsletter, I urge you to do so. The article outlines what trauma-informed care is, benefits of implementation, and actual interventions to combat the impact of the trauma caused by life in the NICU. While I rarely take patient assignments any longer, I have daily interactions with families learning to cope with life in the NICU, and these interventions are the guidebook I use to help them through the process. I am fortunate to work at an institution that provides many of the interventions listed, but invaluable articles like these give you the foundation of how to guide families in managing this new normal of life in the NICU.
As your newsletter editor, I'm thrilled to connect with you all and share the latest updates and insights from the neonatal world. I'm particularly excited about our upcoming NANN Citizen Ambassador Delegation to Sweden! This incredible opportunity to learn from the world-renowned Swedish neonatal care system will undoubtedly invigorate our spirits and inspire us to continue striving for excellence in our own practice. These international exchanges, along with conferences and other professional development activities, are invaluable. They provide a unique environment where we can connect with like-minded individuals, share knowledge, and collectively work toward a brighter future for our profession and the vulnerable infants we serve. I look forward to working with you all and connecting virtually or in person at neonatal events in the future!