Nursing

Shaping the future of emergency health care

Nurse Leader Weekly, January 12, 2004

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Emergency nursing leaders will gather in late February in Salt Lake City, UT, for the Emergency Nurses Association's (ENA) 11th annual Leadership Challenge to address issues shaping the future of the profession. This meeting, scheduled for February 27-29, 2004, is designed to prepare emergency nurses to succeed in leadership and management roles in their organizations, and will draw emergency nursing executives and leaders from around the world.

Sessions will cover wide-ranging topics such as the impact of political issues on emergency nursing, preparing hospitals and staff to handle new methodologies from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), responding to mass casualty and bioterrorism attacks, and financial strategies for the survival of emergency departments (EDs). Additionally, the ENA is hosting preconference training seminars for officers of its 50 state councils on Thursday, February 26.

"Emergency health care is driven by nursing issues," explains Mary Ellen 'Mel' Wilson, RN, MS, FNP, CEN. Wilson is the ENA's incoming 2004 president. "Today's nurse managers and nurse executives will shape tomorrow's public health policy, and it is vital that emergency nursing be at the forefront. Leadership Challenge is designed to develop ED nurses into future leaders who will shape that policy."

The ENA's new one-and-a-half-day ED manager's course, "Key Concepts in Emergency Department Management," premieres on Wednesday, February 25. This three-part program has been developed to provide ED managers with best-practice fundamentals and cutting-edge information essential to successfully running an ED in the current health care environment. For the first time, Leadership Challenge will also feature optional presessions on key concepts in ED management, charge masters, branding, and essential skills for the new nurse manager.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to view research poster presentations on emergency nursing management topics, to hear keynote speakers such as Kristine M. Gebbie, RN, DrPH, former AIDS policy coordinator for the Clinton administration, and to see exhibits of the latest emergency health care products and services from approximately 100 vendors.

For additional information on Leadership Challenge 2004, or ENA's other educational offerings, visit the ENA Web site at www.ena.org/education.



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