September 2003
I have just returned from the 2003 ENA
General and Scientific Assembly in Philadelphia. I have had my yearly
ENA enthusiasm transfusion and am rejuvenated!
Kathy Robinson, the 2003 ENA national
president welcomed us all to Philadelphia and her home state of
Pennsylvania. She was excited to be the first ENA president to have
the Scientific Assembly in their home state while in office.
Judy Kelleher, ENA's co-founder was honored
by the General Assembly on the occasion of her 80th birthday. Kathy
Robinson presented her with a memory book filled with wishes from ENA
members. California ENA presented her with a beautiful quilt. It is
very special that Judy is still here to celebrate the excitement of
Emergency Nursing and the success and vision of ENA.
Cokie Roberts, opened the Scientific Assembly
as the keynote speaker. She joked, that with this many emergency
nurses here who was taking care of people in the path of Hurricane
Isabel? She stressed the strength of women and the need for us to
continue to fight for women's health. In speaking of nursing she said,
"There are nowhere near enough of you, by the year 2020, there is
expected to be a 29% shortfall in the number of nurses". She is
encouraged by the passage of the Nurse Reinvestment Act, but there is
still not enough money for nursing education. "Look at the facts…
$93 million for nursing education vs. $8 billion for physical
education." Roberts is encouraged that the senate voted last week
to add another $50 million to the Nurse Reinvestment Act. "But a
lower amount is being looked at in the House, so you need to be
vigilant, pay attention to this, and make your voices heard".
Barbara Mikulski is fighting this fight for
us in the Senate. Please contact her regarding your support. Please
also contact your representatives in the house to encourage them to
support additional funding for the Nurse Reinvestment Act. The ENA web
page (www.ENA.org)
Legislative area can help you with this.
I attended very exciting educational
sessions: Drug Diversion, The Needs of the Bariatric Patient in the
ED, Stroke Center Development, How to Decrease Waiting Times for the
Minor Injury Patient. Please talk to your colleagues that attended the
meeting to see what "pearls" they can share.
Please do not hesitate to email me if I can
help you with anything.
Carla Anne Stemmer RN
2003 Maryland State ENA President
carlaedrn@aol.com