Make plans to connect and engage with colleagues, friends and other emergency nursing professionals at one of the many networking events at Emergency Nursing 2021 – A Hybrid Xperience.
For Conference Education Planning Committee Chairperson Rachael Smith, meeting people from different backgrounds with emergency care in common is a highlight of the conference. To make the most of the experience, Smith challenges herself to step out of her comfort zone each day she’s on site.
“I’m not someone who strikes up conversations with strangers in the grocery store, but I talk to someone new every day at conference,” she said. “I say ‘hi’ to the person I’m sitting next to and get to know them a little bit.”
Dedicated networking events such as the Attendee Meet and Greet on Sept. 22 offer an opportunity to do just that.
“It’s at the beginning of the conference, so if you meet people there, you’ll be able to go to education sessions with them and bounce around to see and experience other opportunities at the conference with new friends,” said Jamie Garcia, ENA’s senior manager of meetings and events.
Networking events at EN21 include:
Attendee Meet and Greet
4:30-5:15 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 22
This come-and-go event is designed for all emergency nursing professionals to meet fellow attendees. It includes a cash bar and interactive icebreakers.
APRN Meet and Greet
7:15-8 a.m. Eastern time on Sept. 23
Advanced practice nurses are invited to a dedicated networking session before the day’s educational sessions begin.
Emerging Professionals Breakfast
8:15-9:30 a.m. Eastern time on Sept. 23
This free, albeit sign-up required, breakfast is for ENA members with five or fewer years of emergency nursing experience. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with other emerging professionals while they eat and play a game of trivia tailored to early career attendees. Register through the EN21 registration system.
Anita Dorr Memorial Luncheon and Lecture
Noon-1:30 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 23
The Judith C. Kelleher Award is presented annually at this luncheon, where attendees are treated to an engaging lecture. Named after one of ENA’s co-founders, the Kelleher Award honors consistent demonstration of excellence in emergency nursing and significant contributions to the profession and the association. This year’s recipient, former ENA Board member and current ENA Foundation Chairperson Sally Snow, is being honored for her decades of service to ENA and her unyielding dedication to pediatric emergency care, among other great accomplishments and contributions to emergency nursing.
To accompany Snow’s recognition, senior health care leader and professional speaker Jerald Cosey will lecture on resiliency in health care and emergency nurses’ critical role in the profession. A $65 fee is required to attend this luncheon. Register through the EN21 registration system.
ENA Together
Xperience Hall at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando will include the ENA Together area across from the ENA Experience. Mentor meetings and networking tables will be available.
Being able to engage face to face has taken on added importance after more than a year and a half of suffering through a pandemic, Garcia said.
“I think it’s advantageous for people to be able to talk and laugh together and get to know other people from around the country and the world,” she said. “That’s really a strong focus of the conference — making lifelong connections, and then re-connecting at another conference.”
Beyond the established networking opportunities, attendees will find plenty of chances to mingle with their fellow emergency care professionals at EN21. The Welcome Party at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Sept. 23, for example, is an excellent opportunity to catch up with old friends and build new connections.