By Ron Kraus
ENA President
Well, here we are … finally! Just four weeks out from the reunion of the century! I admit that might be a bit of an exaggeration, but it will be epic.
After an amazing, albeit virtual, conference last year, we are getting the band back together again for Emergency Nursing 2021 – A Hybrid Xperience — and by “band,” I mean all of you! When we reunite, oh what a song we will sing together.
As we begin to plan for the four-day event next month in Orlando, there are so many things that have me excited: the premier education that seems to get better and better each conference; the exhibit hall with our vendors displaying cutting-edge technologies and equipment; the delegates gathered at General Assembly; the Hall of Honor that showcases our best and brightest members, chapters and state councils; the always memorable welcome party; the impromptu conversations in the hallway; catching up with friends we haven’t seen for a while; and making new connections, both professional and personal.
I am really excited for all of you to see what we have in store for the general sessions; I cannot wait!
There are so many aspects of ENA’s annual education and networking conference that might resonate with each of us differently. But no matter what you’re looking forward to, you will not be disappointed. And whether you attend conference virtually or in person, for those four days next month, EN21 will feel like Utopia.
My presidential message is to elevate, yourself and those around you. I have challenged all of us to elevate some aspect or aspects of our lives, and EN21 is the perfect opportunity to get started. Elevate the nursing profession or the emergency nursing specialty with the inspiration you’ll take away from sessions and presentations. Elevate your colleagues around you during the many uplifting networking opportunities you’ll enjoy. And, of course, elevate your career and the patient care you deliver with the knowledge you take back to your practice. You can do all this and more at EN21.
The one thing I have always said is “The only people that really get ED nurses are other ED nurses.” Conference is a platform for all of us to gather, reunite and rekindle our collective love for the nursing specialty only we understand. We all have so much to debrief on after what we’ve all experienced in the last 18 months.
We often refer to conference as an opportunity to recharge our batteries. Well, everybody, welcome to the charging station that is EN21. I cannot wait to see all of you there!
Elevate!