As part of Emergency Nurses Week, Wednesday commemorates the 30th anniversary of Emergency Nurses Day, an opportunity to appreciate and shine a light on the outstanding commitment from emergency nursing professionals around the world.
A tradition started by the Emergency Nurses Association in 1989, the second Wednesday of October is recognized as Emergency Nurses Day to honor emergency department nurses for their commitment to patient care. Starting in 2001, ENA began recognizing the entire week as “Emergency Nurses Week” to showcase the contributions of emergency nursing professionals.
In celebrating the 30th anniversary of Emergency Nurses Day, this year’s week-long celebration highlights how emergency nurses “Make a Difference” in the lives of their colleagues and patients every day.
“As emergency nurses, we give a lot and we give our all,” said ENA President Patti Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN. “We give an unsurpassed level of dedication and commitment to our patients. We give countless hours to our departments with all our focus and energy to improving our patients’ outcomes. We utilize our skills and knowledge to save lives. To my colleagues across the world, thank you for your selfless work in helping those that need your help the most. Today, we recognize your contributions that make a difference in your community.”
The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) is the professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With more than 43,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines, and guides emergency healthcare public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.
