2016 President's Message

Hello friends,

I am excited about the upcoming year and the growth of the Bluegrass Chapter and the Kentucky Nurses Association. You have elected a dedicated board who are enthused about representing you and the emergency nursing profession. In January, we were able to meet and adopt a 2016 strategic plan that is aligned with the 2020 Vision of national ENA.

Some of my goals for 2016 include:

• Bylaws and procedural updates
• Successful state conference planning and completion
• Bluegrass website design and management improvement
• Increased Technology, Education, and Outreach
• Accessible Communication with all members
• Increased membership
• Increased chapter-wide educational opportunities

Every year you have the opportunity to get involved with ENA, attend meetings, and be an active part in the bigger picture of emergency nursing. In the future, I plan to do the same, with a few big projects on the agenda for 2016. Khay Douangdara (KYENA Treasurer-Elect) and I plan to attend the ENA State and Chapter's Orientation Conference in late February and we hope to bring home strategies for accomplishing our goals.

It is not too early to plan to attend our 2016 Educational Conference and CPEN Review in August, in Louisville. If you've never before attended a nursing conference, it is a great opportunity to visit with other ED nurses and learn about the latest, greatest gadgets and best practices throughout the state.

I will leave you with the reason I actively participate in ENA: One day I was experiencing burn-out and dissatisfaction with a job that in my heart I still loved. I happened to mention this to my supervisor during a casual conversation and she told me 'Get involved with ENA, it will help you deal with that stuff' (It may have been a more eloquent statement, but that was my takeaway). I could have balked at the idea, but that moment in my career changed my outlook on nursing forever. Thank you, Dixie Bryant, Bluegrass Immediate Past-President.

Thank you for all that you do,
Julie Derringer