Roots absorb and transport vital elements from the soil to the tree.  These two women (our roots) shared a vision to have emergency nurses learn and grow. They wanted education, publications, meetings, conferences and networking.   At the time of their endeavors Emergency Nursing was not thought of as a specialty or respected as such.

Since the late 1960's, Judy began to develop the Emergency Department Nurses Association (EDNA).  It was organized when she was head nurse from Downey Community Hospital Emergency Department in Downey, CA.

At the same time, an Emergency Room Supervisor at the E. J. Meyer Memorial Hospital in Buffalo NY, Anita was forming the Emergency Room Nurses Organization (ERNO).  After much discussion, EDNA became the original chartered name of our organization in 1970.  Ms. Kelleher fought hard for this name. "I insisted on the emergency department.  I wanted us to have equal status with every other hospital department. I was tired of us being a stepchild of the hospital.  In 1985, EDNA became the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) which now encompasses all aspects of emergency care. 

We should feel very privileged in New York.  We have the honor of Anita Dorr beginning the national organization in the state of New York and the admiration of Judy's mentor ship for the forty years we lost Anita.  In writing this tribute I was trying to come up with a word that would describe Judy.  The word that is repeated over and over in my mind was a one that she used for the 42 years I knew her.  PROUD, Proud was her word and proud we should be that she had the vision and courage to have our organization become such a driving force in emergency care.

At every encounter with Judy, in person, on the phone, or filming a video she expressed her feelings of how proud she was of all the emergency nurses, the accomplishments they made and the growth and development of the organization.  Even if she did not know you personally she would tell you how proud she was of you becoming an emergency nurse and caring about your patients.  Her light hearted personality also allowed a joke or two and a good laugh.  Emergency nursing is very stressful, she would say and her humor helped heal that.

 It is difficult to imagine how high the ENA tree has climbed and the size her heart grew.  She watched the development of our Journal of Emergency Nursing, the Annual Assembly, and the Certifications, Education courses, Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC), Emergency Nursing Pediatric Course (ENPC) and many other endeavors of the Association.

As with a tree it is important to keep the portion above ground healthy to ensure an adequate food supply for the roots to continue their important functions.  Judy's support and encouragement kept our supply of   the development tools to grow and become the best in Emergency Nursing we can be.

The ENA's root system is strong, well developed, healthy and growing.  Be PROUD that you are part of ENA.  Judy and Anita started as the roots but I am sure that now they are the sun that will continue to help us grow.

Our members spoke out, so we listened and responded! Working the off shifts can make attending continuing education events a challenge. The nurse may have to take off an additional day in order to attend a class being held during regular hours. The Suffolk ENA chapter recognized that many nurses who are seeking TNCC certification are less inclined to do so because they work the off shifts, and scheduling plays a role in attending this two day course which is always offered during the day. Our answer, a night time TNCC class!

The Suffolk Chapter held it's very first off shift course on January 2nd and 7th, 2013 at Good Samaritan Hospital. The class schedule was 5pm to 2am, and was well attended by 15 nurses who were thrilled to be accommodated with this time frame. The feedback from attendees was excellent!

The TNCC Course is highly supported and promoted by the Suffolk chapter. We want to provide multiple opportunities throughout the year for emergency nurses to become certified. Based on the success of this off shift course, we now have a new option for even more nurses to do just that.