NTMC Ongoing Recertification was designed to help advance your own practice while also providing you the support and guidance to enhance the practice and care provided in your unit. The content of NTMC Ongoing Recertification is completely updated every 2 years to ensure learners are provided with completely new, evidenced based, up to date information during each Recertification.
The current NTMC Ongoing Recertification course helps develop a deeper understanding and integration of trauma-informed caregiving, optimal nutrition and feeding, the use of massage, touch, and an optimal sensory environment to maximize infant development and minimize negative outcomes from stress and pain.
Who is Eligible for NTMC Ongoing Recertification?
NTMC Ongoing Recertification is offered to all NTMC Professionals (which includes OT, PT, SLP, and RNs) who completed Initial Recertification two years ago. Unsure when you’re due to recertify? Click here to search for your name in the NTMC Directory and find out!
Registration is open yearly from May through August. You will receive a reminder email at the time it opens. There is no action required at this time.
Recertification Ongoing Details
Course Description:
NTMC Ongoing Recertification participants develop a deeper understanding and integration of trauma-informed caregiving, optimal nutrition and feeding, the use of massage, touch, and an optimal sensory environment to maximize infant development and minimize negative outcomes from stress and pain.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of NTMC Ongoing Recertification, the Leaner will be able to:
- Combine three neuroprotective care activities to minimize neonatal stress & pain, optimize nutrition, and ensure trauma-informed care.
Course Includes:
The course is an Advanced Level course and topics are presented in a pre-recorded webinar format.
- Webinar 1: Theories, Conceptual Models and Praxis for a Trauma Informed Approach to Care, Mary Coughlin, MS, NNP, RNC-E
- Webinar 2: The 5th Vital Sign: The Vital Nature of Pain Management for Preterm Infants, Elizabeth Jeanson, PT, DPT, CNT, NTMTC
- Webinar 3: The Role of Nutrition in Neurodevelopmental Care, Katherine Bell, MD
- Webinar 4: Neonatal Hot Topics, Shannon Usher, MSOT, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
- Webinar 5: The Listening Touch Massage with the NICU Patient, Kara Ann Waitzman, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
Additional Resources:
- An updated Reference List with the most relevant research in neuroprotective, family-centered, developmental care
- A Listening Touch Massage Reference Sheet
Access NTMC Initial Recertification Speakers’ Disclosures Here
Theories, Conceptual Models and Praxis for a Trauma Informed Approach to Care, Mary Coughlin, MS, NNP, RNC-E–
66 minutes| We all make meaning out of the world based on how the world makes us feel, beginning in infancy. These feelings create cellular memories mediated primarily by maternal caregiving experiences which influence hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity and effect the developmental trajectory of our lifelong health and wellbeing. Mitigating the iatrogenic psychological effects of medical care in the NICU and beyond is a moral and ethical imperative for quality healthcare delivery. This webinar, Theories, Conceptual Models and Praxis for a Trauma Informed Approach to Care, will ensure neonatal caregivers understand the concepts of infant medical traumatic stress and its association with alterations in brain growth and development. Additionally, the webinar highlights the biologic relevance of a trauma sensitive, developmentally aware approach to care in the NICU and beyond.
The 5th Vital Sign: The Vital Nature of Pain Management for Preterm Infants, Elizabeth Jeanson, PT, DPT, CNT, NTMTC-
84 minutes| Pain is universal. In the NICU baby, pain can be prolonged, repetitive, and exaggerated leading to chronic stress, and long-term neurobehavioral effects. As caregivers, we must shift our focus from reactive to a more proactive approach to pain management. It is not simply enough to medicate for pain. Pain must be managed in a relationship that promotes behavioral organization, stress relief, trust and security. This presentation will identify the long-term effects of unmanaged pain, and discuss interventions and techniques to manage pain in a relationship-based care model.
The Role of Nutrition in Neurodevelopmental Care, Katherine Bell, MD
48 minutes| Nutrition has long been recognized as an important determinant of long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes among preterm infants. In this course, we will discuss the development of the neonatal gastrointestinal tract and its implications for nutritional management of infants after preterm birth. We will review evidence-based recommendations for nutritional management strategies that promote optimal neurodevelopment of preterm infants, with an emphasis on the importance of mother’s own breastmilk, and how to incorporate family-centered strategies for promoting maternal breastmilk provision into clinical care at the bedside. Growth targets will be reviewed along with different strategies for monitoring growth utilizing recently published novel growth charts for preterm infants.
Hot Topics, Shannon Usher, MSOT, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC-
47 minutes| This presentation reviews recent literature and provides clinical application regarding various ‘hot topics’ in neonatal care. Examples include epigenetics, the microbiome, pain management & sedation, supporting and enhancing NICU sensory experiences (SENSE), massage, skin-to-skin, oral feeding, outcomes, and more.
Listening Touch Massage with the NICU Patient, Kara Ann Waitzman, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
45 minutes| This presentation provides the most current and evidence-based literature in relationship to neonatal touch and massage. Additionally, two case studies and neonatal massage demonstrations will be reviewed in detail.
Access NTMC Recertification Ongoing Speakers’ Disclosures Here.
MARY COUGHLIN, MS, NNP, RNC-E
Mary Coughlin, MS, NNP, RNC-E is the Founder and President of Caring Essentials Collaborative, LLC and a graduate of Northeastern University where she received her baccalaureate and master’s degrees in nursing. Ms. Coughlin has assumed roles as staff nurse, charge nurse and neonatal nurse practitioner culminating in her current position with Caring Essentials Collaborative. With a clinical background that spans over 30 years, Ms. Coughlin is the internationally recognized expert in the field of trauma-informed, age-appropriate care in the NICU. A leader in the field of neonatal nursing and international key-note speaker Ms. Coughlin is a published author of multiple publications including Clinical Practice Guidelines for Age-Appropriate Care of the Premature and Critically Ill Hospitalized Infant for the National Association for Neonatal Nursing (NANN), Transformative Nursing in the NICU: Trauma-Informed, Age-Appropriate Care and her latest book entitled: Trauma-informed Care in the NICU: Evidence-Based Practice Guidelines for Transdisciplinary Neonatal Clinicians. Ms. Coughlin lives in Boston Massachusetts with her husband Dan and their dog George.
ELIZABETH JEANSON, PT, DPT, CNT, NTMTC
Dr. Elizabeth Jeanson currently serves as the Developmental Specialist in Neonatal Intensive Care at Sanford/USD Medical Center. Dr Jeanson was NIDCAP trained, Infant Behavioral Assessment and Neonatal Network Neurobehavioral Scale certified. She is also a certified infant massage instructor and a certified child passenger safety technician (car seat). Recently Dr Jeanson completed her Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapy certification. She is a certified neonatal therapist. In her current position Dr. Jeanson is responsible for direct and indirect implementation of developmental family centered care in a large level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. Dr. Jeanson has spoken regionally on topics including sensory development of preterm infants, positioning of infants in NICU, non-pharmacologic pain management for preterm infants, supporting the development of post term infants in the NICU, as well as team building and strategic planning for multidisciplinary teams. She published, One to One Bedside Nurse Education as a Means to Improve Positioning Consistency in 2013. Dr Jeanson’s passion is improving the outcomes of premature infants through cautious/thoughtful intervention, family support and staff education.
KATHERINE BELL, MD
Dr. Katherine Bell graduated summa cum laude from Dartmouth College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Biophysical Chemistry. She obtained her MD from the University of California, San Diego, during which time she conducted research on pediatric neuromonitoring strategies. Dr. Bell completed her clinical training in pediatrics at UC San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland where she also served as Chief Resident, and was subsequently recruited into the Harvard Neonatal-Perinatal Fellowship Program, where she served as Chief Fellow. She is currently an attending neonatologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Her clinical research investigates the associations of infant nutrition and body composition – the relative contribution of fat and lean mass to body weight – with long-term outcomes such as brain growth and risk of obesity. Her work has been supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics and The Gerber Foundation. Her current research interests include novel assessments of nutritional status for preterm infants, including body composition measurement, and their influence on brain growth, neurodevelopment, and cardiometabolic health.
SHANNON USHER, MSOT, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
Shannon received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree from Washington University School of Medicine. She has been working in the NICU since she started her professional career and currently works in a large Level III NICU in Colorado Springs, CO. She also participates in the Infant Developmental Assessment Clinic in Colorado Springs. Shannon has presented many times on the local and national level both in live and pre-recorded formats. Shannon has completed developmental assessments with a Nationwide National Institute of Health research study and she also volunteers with the Junior League of Colorado Springs.
KARA ANN WAITZMAN, OTR/L, CNT, NTMTC
Kara Ann has been a neonatal therapist for 36 years in a level III NICU and serves as the nursery’s developmental specialist. Kara Ann is president of Creative Therapy Consultants, Founder of the Neonatal Touch & Massage Certification (NTMC®) and Original Co-Founder of Infant-Driven Feeding® and original co-developer of the Infant-Driven Feeding Scales© She is certified in NTMC, is Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Therapy (NDT) trained, reliable in NIDCAP. She has served on the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetrics, and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) Continuum of Care Advisory Board and Power of Touch Committee, the National Association of Neonatal Therapists (NANT) Professional Collaborative, the Pampers Womb to World Advisory Board, and the March of Dimes Program Services board. Kara Ann has been a nationally sought after speaker, educator, and consultant for over two decades and has published articles on positioning and feeding, and written a chapter on Neuromotor Development and Massage. She developed videos on Massage, Skin-to-Skin, and Swaddled Bathing. Kara Ann has received professional awards including the Ohio Occupational Therapy Pediatric Model Practice Award, the March of Dimes Healthcare Worker of the Year Award, the MVH Excellence in Service Award and the Inaugural Pioneer in Neonatal Therapy Award from the National Association of Neonatal Therapists.
Access NTMC Recertification Ongoing Speakers’ Disclosures Here.
Who can complete Ongoing Recertification?
- All NTMC professionals (NTMTC and NTMNC) who completed NTMC Recertification I, II, III, or IV in 2020 are eligible to complete NTMC Ongoing Recertification.
What are the NTMC Ongoing Recertification Completion Requirements?
You will receive NTMC Ongoing Recertification information via email by May of your certification year.
- Register for Ongoing Recertification and gain instant access to the On-Line Training portal
- Complete the On-Line Training including webinars and tests (tests scores must be >80%).
- Complete the On-Line Evaluation and then download your CEU & NTMC Certificates!
Education Level & Professional Credentials
This is an advanced continuing education activity. Those NTMC Professionals who choose to complete NTMC Ongoing Recertification will maintain their professional credentials of Neonatal Touch & Massage Nurse Certified (NTMNC) or Neonatal Touch & Massage Therapist Certified (NTMTC) for an additional 2 years.
Fees for NTMC Ongoing Recertification:
The fee for Nurses and Therapists is $125.
Access Creative Therapy Consultants’ Policies (i.e. Cancellation, Speaker Disclosures, Special Needs, etc) under the CTC Policies Tab above.
NTMC Ongoing Recertification is an Advanced Level Education Activty
Contact Hours:
Course requirements for the NTMC Ongoing Recertification includes > 80% test score following each webinar and completion of course evaluation. No partial credit is available.
- Nurses:
- This nursing continuing professional development activity was approved by the Ohio Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation (OBN-001-91) for 5.3 contact hours, approval number 2022-0000000194.
- Physical Therapists
- This activity has been approved by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners for 5.25 CCUs for PTs and PTAs.
- Occupational Therapists
- Creative Therapy Consultants is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. PD activity approval ID# 04329. This distance learning independent training is offered at 0.483 CEUs, in advanced level, Occupational Therapy Service Delivery & Foundational Knowledge. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA or indicate AOTA approval of a certification or other professional recognition.
- This PD activity is approved for 4.83 contact hours (0.483 CEUs).
- Speech Language Pathologists
- NTMC Ongoing Recertification is offered for 0.50 ASHA CEUs.
*Partial credit for course will not be given.
Registration opens May 1, 2024.
Special Needs Requests can be made directly here!
Access our cancellation policy here
Click the links below for more information about the following topics. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Simply send an email to NTMC@neonatalcertification.com