Few jobs are more important or offer the same level of skill and excitement as emergency nursing. Whether working in the ER, on code teams, as a flight nurse or with EMS, these nurses are trained and prepared for quick and reliable action. Membership in the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) helps these nurses in a number of important ways.
Promoting Professional Knowledge
Being a good emergency nurse requires staying alongside of advancements in the field and training opportunities. ENA members have an array of opportunities available for enhancing their professional knowledge.
- Every year, the ENA hosts the largest conference specifically geared toward the emergency nursing care profession. Along with a meeting of the General and Scientific Assemblies, attendees have access to demonstrations of the most important innovations within their field.
- The ENA also hosts an annual leadership conference, during which conferees meet for numerous seminars and presentations designed to, among other things, keep managers and directors informed on developing technologies and processes.
- To help acquire knowledge and continuing education credits, courses are available to members free of charge.
- Members have access to additional learning opportunities online through the organization's Learning Management System.
- The Institute for Quality, Safety and Injury Prevention (IQSIP) "is a functional area…that provides subject matter expertise…on issues related to practice, quality, safety, injury prevention and wellness," according to the ENA's website.
- Relevant research is advanced through the Institute for Emergency Nursing Research (IENR)
Professional Networking
Eleven times a year, the Emergency Nurses Association provides its members with information on issues and association activities through its publication, the ENA Connection. It also publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of Emergency Nursing.
Members of the association have free access to nearly two dozen public "listserv" communities. These communities run the gamut of relevant subject areas, and members are able to join discussions in communities focusing on such topics as emergency preparedness, forensics, small rural/critical access hospitals, travel nurses and military services.
Career Advancement
To help its members find jobs, the ENA maintains an online Career Center. Through this resource, employers seeking to recruit qualified emergency nurses can find assistance. It also provides useful articles, tip sheets and webinars geared toward improving job search skills. Nurses are able to build a profile to provide potential employers with resumes and contact information. The organization also maintains its own social media platform called "myENA," allowing members to interact and share news and information.
In addition to education, networking and career assistance, the Emergency Nurses Association gives its members access to an "ERA Marketplace." Here, emergency care nurses can find the professional tools they need for their important work. Members can also find discounts to a host of vendors. Finally, the organization provides a united voice for its membership in advocacy campaigns for the membership itself and for a variety of important causes.
Photo Source: Flickr
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