MEET YOUR NANN VOLUNTEER: HEATHER GOODALL, PROGRAM PLANNING COMMITTEE CHAIR
NANN Program Planning Committee Chair, Heather Goodall, MSN RNC-NIC IBCLC, loves hearing the hallway conversations at conferences. "I get the most enjoyment from attending the conference and hearing the attendees say that they have really enjoyed the education offered," she says. "The committee really tries hard to accomplish that, and it feels great to hear it being said!"
Initially considering a career as a pediatrician and then opting for nursing because it required less schooling, Heather later discovered that she had a nursing legacy in her family. Her grandmother was a labor and delivery nurse and her aunt was a pediatric intensive care nurse. Heather graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a bachelor of science degree in nursing in 1998 and then pursued a master of science in leadership in healthcare systems with an educator track and a certificate in healthcare education from Regis University in 2009. She is certified as a lactation consultant and obtained her RNC-NIC designation in 2008.
Heather credits many in her life for her success in nursing. She had nursing instructors who had high expectations and fellow nurses who were strong mentors and encouraged her to advance her education. Her patients and their families inspired her to obtain special certifications to be able to deliver the highest quality of care. Heather also credits her husband, mother, and extended family for their ongoing support as she continues to develop professionally.
A member since 2006, Heather finds that NANN provides essential avenues that support the evolving professional nurse.
NANN has supported my professional practice through the journal articles and annual educational conference. The information and education gleaned from these avenues has been very important. That's how change can be made and new ideas generated. Understanding where these changes come from helps as well. This support needs to continue for all neonatal nurses, not just new nurses. The networking that happens in the MyNANN community is also important, and I would encourage new nurses to just jump in and start following the conversations. It gives you a broader perspective on the neonatal care around the world.
Heather believes nurses are never too young in their careers or too inexperienced to be involved in NANN. She encourages nurses of any experience level to share their fresh ideas and perspectives. NANN has many opportunities for nurses, including taskforces, committees, and projects. Heather became involved in the Program Planning Committee in 2010 because she happened to see an ad calling for members to join the committee. She signed up to be a moderator at the conference that same year. "I enjoy the educational aspect of nursing and thought it would be a great opportunity to help plan the conference," she says. The experience of being on the committee has brought other opportunities to be involved in NANN through the networking with other members. Heather added the Education Committee to her growing list of NANN involvement and has worked on various taskforces and projects that she has enjoyed very much. When the request came for membership to submit their interest for the Program Planning Committee Chair Elect role, Heather took some time to decide if this would be the right path for her. After learning more about the position, she decided it was. "I was very excited and I still am. I love working on this committee with great members who are invested in creating a fabulous conference experience. I would have been sad to not be part of this group."
The responsibility of the Program Planning Committee Chair comes with challenges-as most rewarding experiences do. Heather identifies finding dynamic speakers for large audience-attended sessions and being able to communicate with members of the committee (spread out across the country) as her top 2 challenges. The distance barrier between committee members has been a good learning experience for all the participants. Heather shares that "we find ways to get things done electronically and over the phone, all before the deadlines!" She has learned about each member of the committee and their particular strengths that they bring to the group.
Heather has developed goals for the committee that she strives to meet during her tenure. "My goals include making sure that there are topics available for all experience levels at the conference and recruiting speakers for the hot topics in various parts of the country," she says, "as well as encouraging neonatal experts to share their research and evidence-based practice and supporting the networking of neonatal colleagues." Heather says the support from the NANN administration has been tremendous; without them these goals would not be possible.
Heather has embraced NANN opportunities to support her professional growth and development. She is not sure what is next for her professionally because she loves her current role as a NICU clinical educator. Heather reflects, "I have thought about next steps up the ladder for me, which might include being Director of Education, but I will have to see. I have a good part of my career ahead of me so anything is possible. That is what is so great about nursing!"
REGISTER NOW FOR THIS YEAR'S ANNUAL CONFERENCE!
We can't wait to see you in Dallas, Thursday, October 22-Sunday, October 25! Attend NANN's 2015 Annual Educational Conference and learn from your peers and leaders in the field of neonatal nursing.
This year's meeting includes 3 general sessions on hospital systems, advocacy for parents, and self-care for nurses. Learn about issues directly affecting advances in neonatal care, such as physical assessment, central line insertion, neonatal abstinence syndrome, maternal complications, and more!
Earn up to 23.5 CNE hours. Pharmacology hours are also available.
Register now athttp://www.nannconference.org!