Whether you are a staff nurse or manager in an emergency department, an administrator, prehospital, flight, pediatric or trauma emergency nurse, an emergency clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, student or educator, you can benefit from membership in ENA. No matter your level of experience, or the size of your emergency department, membership in ENA contributes to your professional growth.

ENA provides the best membership value for your dues investment. ENA endorses a recognized certification program that acknowledges competence and achievement in emergency nursing. In addition, the Association offers unparalleled educational opportunities, an effective networking system, quality group insurance coverage, and much more.

Upon joining the national Association, a member obtains membership at the national level, as well as representation at the state level. Active members have the right to vote and hold office at all levels. Joining the ENA means joining a national professional network of emergency nurses.

Ask ENA members to describe their growth experience with the Association. Better yet, find out for yourself what membership in ENA can do for you!

Take a moment to read this brochure and acquaint yourself with all that ENA offers.

The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is a voluntary national membership association of professional nurses who are committed to the excellence of emergency care. ENA serves its members by achieving the following aims:

• To be the definitive authority on emergency nursing.
• To define the standards of excellence for emergency nursing.
• To promote the specialty of emergency nursing.
• To promote quality emergency care through continuing education activities.
• To be the resource for emergency nursing practice, professionalism, education, research, and consultation.
• To identify and address emergency care issues.
• To work collaboratively with other health-related organizations toward the improvement of emergency care.
• To affirm the ENA Code of Ethics.

Promoting the Profession
ENA assists all nurses in emergency care settings and others in understanding the function, importance and impact of the role of emergency nurses through its professional publications, legislative updates and public relations activities regarding emergency nursing issues. ENA monitors and addresses federal and state legislation affecting emergency nursing health care and practice, through its networking system of chapters, state councils, national committees and a legislative consulting service.

Journal of Emergency Nursing
Included in your membership fee is a subscription to the Journal of Emergency Nursing. The Journal puts you in touch with current clinical practice and trends in emergency nursing. The Journal of Emergency Nursing is a peer-reviewed journal and an official publication of the Emergency Nurses Association. Inside this bimonthly resource, you will find original clinical articles by the experts--your peers in the emergency department. See what's new and share practical information with your colleagues by turning to sections such as: Case Review, Clinical Notebook, Drug Update, Law and the Emergency Nurse, Managers Forum, and more. Turn to the Professional Opportunities section in every issue to find or fill an emergency nursing position. To keep a finger on the pulse of what other groups are doing, look to the Journal's Update section which includes a listing of upcoming meetings and features on nursing colleagues.

ENA Connection
ENA's newsletter, published nine times a year, is the periodical that keeps ENA members up-to-date on Association activities and issues of current relevance to their profession.

Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum*
Defines the body of knowledge necessary for current emergency nursing practice and provides modules on essential areas of emergency nursing practice.

Annual Meeting
The ENA Annual Meeting is composed of two segments: General Assembly and Scientific Assembly.

General Assembly
The General Assembly meets to review and determine official policy of the national Association related to professional emergency nursing issues and activities as well as to monitor the implementation of national Association bylaw objectives. Representatives from each state comprise the body of the General Assembly and are referred to as delegates.

Scientific Assembly
The Scientific Assembly provides contemporary continuing education courses for emergency nurses. The faculty for the courses are nationally known experts who represent the diverse interests of emergency nursing. Content areas include: clinical, education, research, leadership/management, and professional issues. Networking sessions allow nurses with interests in the many aspects of emergency nursing the opportunity to exchange ideas and meet with colleagues in an informal setting.

The Scientific Assembly also features a vast array of exhibitors of products and services on the market today. This provides a unique opportunity for participants to meet with the leading health care services representatives to review and evaluate current technology and products that are available to the health care industry.

Leadership Challenge
The Leadership Challenge is designed to establish an infrastructure for building quality relationships among those involved in managing the emergency care process. It enhances emergency health care management knowledge and skills, helps members stay abreast of evolving health care trends, and integrates management/leadership principles from a variety of disciplines such as business, communications and finance.

Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH)
As an independent approver of continuing education programs, ENA provides its constituents and other educators with the convenience of applying for CECH through ENA. This process is made easy with the CECH guidelines developed by the ENA.

Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC)
This nationally standardized, 16-20 hour course integrates nursing diagnosis into the content and provides the learner with core trauma knowledge and psychomotor skill experience. The course is disseminated through state ENA Trauma Committees and has been awarded Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH) by ENA. Participants who successfully complete the course are verified for four years and have the opportunity to become TNCC Instructors.

Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC)
A nationally standardized 16-hour course designed to provide the learner with pediatric emergency nursing knowledge and psychomotor skill experience. The content is presented through lecture material, an accompanying slide presentation, and dedicated time for learning and practicing six psychomotor skill stations. All RN participants receive Continuing Education Contact Hours (CECH) upon completion of the course. After successfully completing the course, participants receive a verification card which is valid for four years. There is also an instructor level of the ENPC course to mentor instructors to be able to disseminate the course.

Standards of Emergency Nursing Practice
Standards of emergency nursing practice have been developed to integrate competency standards and standards of excellence. The Standards delineate the role and function of the emergency nurse, enhance the quality and consistency of emergency nursing care, and provide the criteria to evaluate the quality of emergency nursing practice.

National Awards
ENA annually recognizes individual members of the Association and other individuals for outstanding contributions to the profession of emergency nursing at its awards ceremony held during the Annual Meeting. Categories include: Nursing Practice, Education, Research, Professionalism, the Judith C. Kelleher Award, and other special recognition awards.

National Network
ENA provides an opportunity for nurses throughout the nation to meet during the Annual Meeting and Leadership Challenge to discuss professional nursing issues and concerns. State and local level seminars, workshops and meetings provide similar opportunities.

Additional Benefits

• ENF Educational Scholarships
• Group Insurance Programs
• Member Credit Card & Gold Option (loan) Programs
• ENF Research & Program Grants
• ENA/Scientific Assembly Exhibitor
• Scholarship and Memorial Fund
• Members' Long Distance Advantage Program

Publications/Education Programs*
The following publications and educational programs were developed by the ENA and are available to members at a reduced rate:

• Orientation to Emergency Nursing
• Making the Right Decision: A Triangle Curriculum
• CEN Review Manual & CEN Review Software
• Basics & Beyond: An Educator's Reference
• In-Service Slide Script Series
• Consumer Education Brochures in English and Spanish
• Diversion Policy Resource Guide
• Trauma Coordinators Resource Manual

For additional resources, obtain a copy of the ENA Resources Brochure.

Professional Resources

• ENA Position Statements
• Standards of Emergency Nursing Practice
• Scope of Emergency Nursing Practice Statement
• Code of Ethics for Emergency Nurses
• Guidelines for Nursing Research
• Emergency Nursing Research Abstracts Listing

Emergency Nursing Association Foundation (ENAF)
The ENAF was established in 1991 as a charitable, not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation. The purpose of the ENF is to enhance emergency health care services to the public through the promotion and support of research and education in emergency care. ENA supports all administrative functions of ENAF.

CEN & CFRN Certification
ENA endorses attaining the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN) and CFRN credentials. The Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) is the corporation responsible for the Certification Examination for Emergency Nurses. The BCEN is committed to a vision of international certification of emergency nurses. The BCEN believes that emergency nursing practice is dynamic, fluid, and continually evolving. Therefore, the attainment of knowledge needed for practice at the competent level is a continual activity.

The purpose of certification in emergency nursing is to provide a mechanism to regularly measure the attainment and simulated application of a defined body of emergency nursing knowledge needed to function at the competent level.

The objectives of certification are to promote quality emergency nursing care by: establishing the level of knowledge, requirements, and achievement necessary for certification in emergency nursing; measuring the attainment and application of a defined body of emergency nursing knowledge needed to function at the competent level is current; encouraging participation in continuing education for emergency nursing; promoting professional development and career advancement; and, formally recognizing nurses who meet all requirements of the CEN examination.

* Available to members at a reduced rate

ENA Organization and Structure
National Level: A category of membership that is maintained by all current ENA members. The General Assembly, composed of delegates from each State Council, serves as the professional policy determining component of the Association. The Board of Directors serves as the management component of the national Association, elected by the members and entrusted with the task of implementing and addressing national ENA policy in collaboration with all Association components. The ENA Executive Director and staff occupy the National Office located in Des Plaines, IL.

State Level
A category of membership that exists immediately below the national level and is automatically obtained upon joining the Association. State Councils are chartered by the national Association to implement its philosophy, objectives and leadership and serve as the decision-making bodies at the state level.

Local Level
A category of membership existing immediately below the state level of membership. The local level may consist of formal chapters responsible for implementing national ENA professional activities or informal constituent groups, units, or divisions responsible for implementing ENA professional activities as outlined by the State Council.

Committees
National committees focus on the specialized needs of emergency nursing. Committees contribute to Association goals and address issues related to areas such as education, practice, ethics, trauma, research, pediatrics, management, prehospital, and government affairs.

History
In 1968 Anita M. Dorr, RN and Judith C. Kelleher, RN, working at opposite sides of the United States, perceived a need for nurses involved in emergency health care to pool their resources in order to set standards and to develop improved methods of effective emergency nursing practice. In addition, they wished to provide continuing education programs for emergency nurses as well as to provide a united voice for nurses involved in emergency care.

By 1970, Ms. Dorr had formed the Emergency Room Nurses Organization on the East Coast and Ms. Kelleher had formed the Emergency Department Nurses Association on the West Coast. The two groups joined forces and the Association was initially incorporated as the Emergency Department Nurses Association (EDNA) in Rochester, New York on December 1, 1970. The first National Association meeting was held on New York in 1971.

In 1985 the Association name was changed to Emergency Nurses Association (ENA), recognizing the practice of emergency nursing as role-specific rather than site-specific.

Originally aimed at teaching and networking, the organization has evolved into an authority, advocate, lobbyist, and voice for emergency nursing. The ENA recently reached over 21,000 members and continues to grow with members representing over 20 countries around the world.

Membership is run on an anniversary basis. Please allow 4-8 weeks for delivery of your first issue of the Journal of Emergency Nursing. ENA dues are not deductible as a charitable contribution for federal tax purposes, but may be deductible as a business expense.