Emergency Nurses Association
Organization
The EMERGENCY NURSES ASSOCIATION is the national Association for professional nurses
dedicated to the advancement of emergency nursing practice.
History
In 1968 Anita M. Dorr, RN and Judith C. Kelleher, RN, working at opposite coasts 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, ENA has become a premier organization as a
national leader, advocate, and voice for emergency nursing. Today, more than 30,000 members
from more than 20 counties benefit from the Association's resources for continuing education
opportunities, world renowned verification courses, cutting-edge publications, and legislative
actions.
Organization Services
Membership
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!
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Emergency Nurses Association
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 (JEN)
Included in the ENA 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
Our newsletter, ENA Connection, published ten times a year, keeps members up-to-date on
Association activities and issues of current relevance to their profession.
Disaster Management & Response (DMR)
As an official journal of ENA, DMR is a quarterly publication that focuses on the needs of
patients and health care providers involved in mass casualty incidents, natural and man-made
disasters, and terrorist attacks. Research reports, academic reviews of the literature, and case
discussions are used to assist with evidence-based practice.
Newsbytes
Sent monthly via e-mail, Newsbytes covers topics such as ENA meetings, emergency
department issues, and the latest legislative news affecting health care. Newsbytes offers quick
news at your fingertips with links for more information on various subjects.
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Emergency Nurses Association
Emergency Nursing Core Curriculum
This program defines the body of knowledge necessary for current emergency nursing practice
and provides modules on essential areas of emergency nursing practice.
Annual Conference
The ENA Annual Conference 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, injury prevention, pharmacology 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 Conference
The Leadership Conference 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)
This nationally standardized 16-hour course provides 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
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Emergency Nurses Association
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.
Course in Advanced Trauma Nursing -II (CATN-II)
The CATN-II course is designed to strengthen crucial decision-making skills that will optimally
impact the outcome of the critically injured and ill patients. CATN-II was developed to reinforce
psychophysiologic concepts central to trauma nursing. This course uses case studies to help
discern commonalities among clinical problems, determine priorities of care, and establish
criteria to evaluate ongoing clinical conditions. CATTN-II is a continuing education course
rather than a mandatory verification course. It will benefit nurses caring for patients throughout
the trauma continuum.
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 Conference. 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
Conference and Leadership Conference to discuss professional nursing issues and concerns.
State and local level seminars, workshops and meetings provide similar opportunities.
Additional Benefits
 ENAF Educational Scholarships
 ENAF Research Grants
 ENA/Scientific Assembly Exhibitor Scholarship and Memorial Fund
 Dell Discount Computer Purchase
 Coldwell Banker Real Estate Advantage Program
 Nurses Service Organization Professional Liability
 ENA Mastercard® Through MBNA America
 ENA Term Life and Disability Programs – Major Medial, Long Term Cave
Publications/Education Programs
ENA offers a variety of publications and educational programs. A complete listing of the
publications and programs can viewed in the ENA Marketplace catalog. The catalog is also
available on the ENA Web site at www.ena.org.
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
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Emergency Nurses Association
Emergency Nursing Association Foundation (ENAF)
The ENAF was established in 1991 as a charitable, not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation. The
purpose of the ENAF is to enhance emergency health care services to the public through the
promotion and support of research and education in emergency care. The ENAF Management
Board is comprised of the ENA Executive Committee and has Foundation oversight and
fiduciary responsibility
BCEN Certifications
ENA endorses attaining the Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN®), the Certified Flight Registered
Nurse (CFRN®) and the Certified Transport Registered Nurse (CTRN™) credentials. The Board
of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN®) is the corporation responsible for these
certification exams. The BCEN is a benchmark for accurate testing and assessment of
knowledge and critical thinking skills for Emergency Nursing, associated specialties, and its
subspecialties.
The mission of the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing is to certify nurses who provide
emergency nursing across the emergency care continuum.
The objectives of BCEN Certifications are to promote quality emergency nursing, flight nursing
and critical care ground transport nursing by: establishing the level of knowledge, requirements,
and achievement necessary for certification; measuring that the attainment and application of a
defined body of specific knowledge needed to function at a competent level is current;
encouraging participation in continuing education; promoting professional development and
career advancement; and, formally recognizing nurses who meet all requirements of the BCEN
certification process.
Upon passing a BCEN certification exam, an applicant is a CEN, CFRN, or CTRN for a four
year term. In order to ensure continued competency, CEN recertification may be made through
examination (CEN-RO by Exam), continuing education (CEN-RO by CE*), or internet based
testing (CEN-RO by IBT). CFRN or CTRN recertification may be made through examination
(Air-RO by Exam or CTRN-RO by Exam) or by continuing education (Air-RO by CE* or CTRNRO by CE*).
*ENA Board of Directors approved the revision of the Continuing Education Credit Hours
(CECH) Guidelines at their September 12, 2006 meeting. On November 29, 2006 the BCEN
Management Board approved the CECH guideline changes for BCEN re-certifications.
Effective January 1, 2007 BCEN will calculate contact hours using 60 minutes of CECH (vs. 50
minutes) to define one renewal contact hour. CECH earned prior to 2007 will continue to be
calculated using 50 minutes to define one contact hour. BCEN Management Board members
approved maintaining the current 100 contact hour renewal requirement, of which 75 contact
hours must be in the clinical category, and 25 contact hours may be in the other category.
BCEN choose to keep the number of contact hours the same, based on information which
indicates that most nursing certification corporations are choosing not to alter the total number
of hours required, except to change from the 50 minute to 60 minute hour.
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Emergency Nurses Association
ENA Organization and Structure
The National Level category of membership 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, Illinois.
The State Level category of membership 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.
The Local Level category of membership exists 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.
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.
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