Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

President’s Message

2023; Elsevier BV; Volume: 49; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jen.2023.09.009

1527-2966

Terry M. Foster,

Disaster Response and Management

As I write this President’s Message, I find it hard to believe that my year as your Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) president is coming to an end. Serving in this role has been everything I’ve ever expected, a few unexpected things, and one heck of a ride the entire way! We have had our disagreements and our “spirited debates,” as well as instant connections to other members when we first met. Emergency nurses are well known for voicing their opinions and I appreciate that. I have learned so much from our members as to what makes them tick and what makes them ticked off! Over the past year, daily, the ENA Public Relations staff has monitored any newsworthy items that directly affect our emergency departments. It has been rewarding, and at the same time heartbreaking, to reach out to our fellow members who have encountered struggles with acts of violence and mass shootings, as well as natural and man-made disasters. It’s been an immense and personal satisfaction to be able to say to them, “We, your ENA family, are here for you,” and to know they know exactly what I mean. It might be through an email, a text, or a personal phone call (my favorite). Many of these contacts have been made during evening or weekend hours, often when the major events have eased up a bit, offering some time to reflect. Identifying with our members has been something I have always treasured. I never want to completely leave the bedside, and I continue to face many of the challenges you all face too. When I see another ENA member post a somewhat generic social media message that says, “Hug your kids or grandkids a little tighter tonight,” I know immediately what happened that day in the emergency department (and you do too!). It means so much to be able to acknowledge that struggle and to share their compassion and understanding. I continue to be amazed by the resiliency of our members, despite some very stressful working conditions. On a positive note, making the phone calls this summer to a record-setting 53 emergency departments notifying them they were Lantern Award recipients was one of the highlights of my year! These were often large group Zoom calls, and the cheers were often deafening—and deservedly so! Assisting with personally notifying other award and scholarship recipients has also been so gratifying. I have also attended every quarterly staff meeting in person at the ENA office in Schaumburg. There is a palpable energy when nearly every ENA employee is present! Along with Nancy McRae, our executive director, I can convey to them, on behalf of the members, how much their work is appreciated. Many of them are behind-the-scenes workers so it’s great to interact with them directly. Saying thank you doesn’t seem to be enough, so I’ll just say that my gratitude toward my fellow ENA members will be forever. I truly mean that from my heart. I hope I have inspired you in your emergency nursing practice. I don’t plan on leaving emergency nursing nor the ENA. Onward, upward! Terry M. Foster is President, Emergency Nurses Association, Schaumburg, IL.