Feature

Join (or Start!) Your Local NANN Chapter Today!

Tosha Harris, DNP APRN NNP-BC, NANN E-News editor

I hope you joined us in Anaheim, CA, as we celebrated NANN's 39th Annual Conference. There were many outstanding educational sessions, some glamorous after-dark festivities, and—of course—Disney! 

I look forward to the conference every year. It is my opportunity to reconnect with friends and colleagues and my purpose for being a neonatal care provider. 

To keep this great feeling going all year round, I encourage you to join your local NANN chapter. If there isn’t one in your area, start one! Your NANN membership gives you access to all the resources needed to create a chapter in your area. 

Nursing is a complex and ever-changing profession; It can be challenging to stay up to date with the latest developments and best practices that improve patient and family outcomes. Joining a local chapter can help, benefiting you personally and professionally. Here’s how!

1. Networking: One of the most significant advantages of joining a chapter is networking with other local neonatal care providers. Just like NANN itself, chapters are a platform for nurses to connect with experienced professionals, share their knowledge and expertise, and explore career opportunities. Networking is essential for building professional relationships, staying informed about industry trends, and finding support and guidance as nurses navigate their careers. Novice nurses, who often face unique challenges and stressors in their early career stages, may find this particularly beneficial. Chapters can facilitate collaboration between professionals, institutions, and businesses, leading to mutually advantageous partnerships and projects.
2. Access to Resources and Continuing Education: Chapters often provide members access to publications, research, and databases to aid their work and professional growth. These resources may include academic libraries, research facilities, online forums, discussion groups, and social media communities where members can ask questions, share resources, and discuss relevant topics. Chapters often organize local events, workshops, and seminars to educate members. These events may feature guest speakers, experts, and hands-on training sessions, providing members with valuable information, skills, industry trends, and emerging technologies. Nursing constantly evolves, and continuing education is essential for staying up to date with the latest developments and best practices. Chapters foster a culture of lifelong learning and professional growth, which is crucial in a field where medical knowledge and technology also continually evolve.
3. Advocacy and Representation: Chapters often represent the interests of their members at the regional or state level. They can advocate for policies and regulations that benefit maternal and neonatal care and ensure their members’ voices are heard. By joining a local NANN chapter, you can contribute to shaping the future of nursing and positively impacting healthcare policies and regulations that affect you and your patients.
4. Career Connection: The connections you make through NANN chapter involvement can help you further your career development, through mentorship opportunities and getting to know your local neonatal nursing community in new ways. Not only can you learn from each other, but building peer relationships creates a local circle of support for the important work you do.
5. Community Engagement: Chapters can engage in community service and outreach activities, which can help nurses give back to the community and make a positive impact beyond their work. Community engagement also can help nurses develop their communication and teamwork, essential skills for providing high-quality patient care.
6. Leadership Development: Serving on chapter committees or boards can provide opportunities for leadership development, allowing you to build leadership skills and experience. By taking on leadership roles, you can contribute to the growth and success of your chapter and the local nursing community. When you engage with other neonatal care professionals and take on new challenges, you develop new skills, broaden your perspectives, and gain a sense of fulfillment in your work, helping members become more confident, well-rounded professionals.
7. Industry Standardization: Some chapters work to establish and maintain industry standards, which can improve quality, safety, and efficiency in the field. By participating in these efforts, you can contribute to shaping the future of nursing and ensuring patients receive high-quality care.

Joining your professional organization’s local chapter benefits nurses through networking opportunities, access to resources, continuing education, career development, industry insights, and personal growth. 

For neonatal care providers, joining NANN is especially valuable so that you can keep up to date with the latest developments and best practices in neonatal care and connect with other professionals in the field. Being an active member—attending the annual conference and joining a local chapter—can help you grow both personally and professionally and positively impact your community and the industry as a whole.

Ready to look for your local chapter? NANN members can log into their NANN accounts and select the "Add Chapter Membership" button.

If you don’t have a local chapter, consider starting one! Learn more about chapter management and contact Autumn James, manager of marketing and membership.