I joined  Â鶹¹ÙÍø in 2019 as I felt it would enable me to connect with other nurses, doctors and allied health professionals interested in improving care and outcomes for neonates and their families. This has certainly been the case and I really enjoyed the Â鶹¹ÙÍø and EBNEO conference last year.  The speakers were interesting and the topics covered were wide ranging and varied.  I have also been very fortunate in having been asked to contribute to a Â鶹¹ÙÍø working group which I have enjoyed immensely, learning new skills and meeting new people in the process. 

The Â鶹¹ÙÍø resources that I have found most useful are the QI storyboards. They have helped inform and structure QI projects we are planning within our neonatal unit. One thing I’d like to see Â鶹¹ÙÍø focus on in the future is babies at risk, or affected with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome.  I worked with a neonatologist in Brighton who was a keen advocate for these babies and I’d like to see Â鶹¹ÙÍø form a focus group looking at care provision and follow up for this group of patients.

To anyone thinking of joining Â鶹¹ÙÍø I’d say go for it! With a particular emphasis on nursing membership, I do feel it is vitally important that the nurse’s pivotal role in neonatal care is acknowledged and adequately represented.