A New Chapter for Emergency Nursing Research
When it comes to emergency nursing, it’s high time someone stepped up to tackle the thorny issues plaguing care delivery. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) has done just that by naming their fifth class of Emergency Nursing Developing Voices Research (ENDVR) Fellows. These two powerhouses—Elizabeth Ryann Thompson and Kristie Van Waus—are set to dive into the murky waters of how social and systemic factors influence care in emergency departments.
Who Are These New Fellows?
Elizabeth Ryann Thompson is no stranger to the chaos of emergency care. With a career marked by stints in critical care and academia, she’s on a mission to dismantle barriers like race, socioeconomic status, and language that muddle triage decisions. How these factors play out in the urgency of an ER can determine patient outcomes, and she's determined to get to the bottom of it.
Then there’s Kristie Van Waus, a nurse with a formidable repertoire of roles—manager, educator, and a beacon in sexual assault care. What makes her tick? Understanding and bridging the communication gap between nurses and patients, especially through the lens of social determinants of health. She’s all about zeroing in on compassionate, trauma-informed care that's responsive to patients' specific needs.
What's in It for Emergency Nursing?
The stakes? Only the improvement of care for vulnerable populations, no big deal. By focusing on such nuanced aspects of emergency care, these fellows could end up influencing guidelines and practices industry-wide, always aiming to bridge the gap between medical action and patient experience. Now, that's the kind of impact that takes the healthcare industry a few notches higher.
"I have no doubt their work will help improve outcomes for the patients and communities we serve," said Dustin Bass, ENA President.
The Journey Begins in Phoenix
These fellows won't be flying solo. They'll head to Emergency Nursing 2026 in Phoenix, a hotbed for research activities, where they'll rub shoulders with mentors from ENA's Emergency Nursing Research Advisory Council. This isn't just about showing up; it's about laying the groundwork for a research project with local implications and sharing results with their peers by 2027.
The ENA ain't a new player in this arena; it's been advocating since 1970. With its finger on the pulse of emergency healthcare, this nonprofit has made it its business to cultivate leaders, nurture research, and define practice standards that push patient care to the forefront. With 40,000 members worldwide, they’re no small force and this fellowship is part of a broader strategy to bring fresh research to an often-overlooked field.
Breathing Life into Emergency Care Research
Look, we're at a juncture where emergency nursing must evolve, and the ENDVR program is a step in that direction. By bringing people with lived experiences into research, ENA isn't just ticking boxes—they're ensuring research addresses the real-world crises seen in emergency rooms every day. It’s about time someone put the soul back into emergency care.
This whole ENDVR Fellows initiative feels like a breath of fresh air in a very crowded room. Two nurses, bolstered by ENA's resources and networks, taking a hard look at systemic issues—that’s the kind of thinking that will bring about tangible, positive changes. Let’s see what these disruptors can accomplish.
