The National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT) located in Cincinnati, Ohio and Education Resources, Inc. (ERI) headquartered in Medfield, Massachusetts announce a partnership to strengthen the quality and accessibility of continuing education for neonatal therapists.
Neonatal occupational therapists, physical therapists and speech language pathologists have struggled for decades to find relevant and specialized education to meet their needs in serving infants and families in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Neonatal therapists address developmental challenges and milestones encountered by infants and their families in the NICU and in transition home.
The evident lack of specialized resources, and the inconsistent neonatal care that followed, led occupational therapist, Sue Ludwig, to found NANT in 2009. She explains, “Neonatal therapists were largely self-educated in the past and had no way of connecting with each other. That led to inconsistent practice and isolation. Therapists deserved access to age appropriate education and resources so that infants and families received the best possible care. We needed a trusted space, a home, so we could connect and grow.”
NANT provides multiple ways for neonatal therapists to connect, learn, mentor and inspire while advancing this focused field of therapy on a global level. NANT provides a significant percentage of its education online with one major exception, its annual conference.
Carol Loria and Barbara Goldfarb, both pediatric physical therapists, founded Education Resources over 25 years ago with a vision of providing valuable education for therapists that can truly make a difference in their patient’s lives. Providing over 350 live courses per year, with an ever-growing number focused on neonatal-specific content, Education Resources, Inc. has a reputation for providing quality, evidence-based continuing education (CEUs) presented by some of the best speakers in the neonatal space.
According to Carol Loria, “We are very excited about this partnership as it will enable any neonatal therapist regardless of their years of experience, to access resources to enhance their professional development in terms of skills and critical thinking.” This formal collaboration allows both organizations to maintain their individual identity and structure while extending their reach, and deepening, broadening and streamlining their educational offerings.
Education Resources, Inc. will expand its live workshops and in-house trainings for NICU and developmental therapists while NANT will continue to master online education for its members and global learners. The collaboration does not influence NANT’s annual conference.
It is a partnership that truly serves the founders’ visions for better education resulting in improved patient outcomes.
To learn more about NANT visit www.neonataltherapists.com and for live courses for neonatal therapists from ERI visit www.educationresourcesinc.com/nicu-ceu-courses
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