Nearly 100 Percent of Foundation Scholarship Recipients Report Degree Completion
In December 2005, the Emergency Nurses Association Foundation (ENAF) surveyed past scholarship recipients to acquire data to support the validity of the scholarship program.

The Foundation is pleased to report a 57.3-percent response rate. Representing 1991-2004 scholarship recipients, the majority of responses came from those who had acquired bachelor’s degrees (54.6 percent). Throughout the history of the ENAF, the scholarships have primarily been awarded at this level.

A key finding was that 96.4 percent of the respondents stated that they completed their program and received their degree. Additionally, 77.8 percent received a promotion, obtained a new job and/or began another degree program. More than half (52.7 percent) stated that they "strongly agreed" with the statement, "Receiving a scholarship from ENAF was significant in my completing my degree." Several recipients expressed their gratitude to the Foundation and explained how the scholarships have changed their lives:

1. "The financial assistance was very welcome but it also increased my affiliation with ENA and my desire to become actively involved. Consequently, I went on to be an item writer, exam reviewer and have just accepted member-at-large on the Board of BCEN."
2. "I have not only completed my bachelor’s degree but went on to complete my master’s and am now an N.P. (adult) practicing for 3 years."
3. "I cannot thank the ENA Foundation enough for the scholarship! I honestly don’t think I could have finished without the aid of the scholarship. I finished and worked on advancing the EMS system in our community, then worked as a nurse practitioner in the ED before taking my current position in a sub-specialty. Thanks so much!"
4. "Thank you. The scholarship enabled me to continue full-time work on my dissertation. I was able to simultaneously complete both an MSPH and a PhD in three years."
5. "Thanks to all the donors who make it possible for ENAF to award scholarships! I plan to return the favor."
6. "Becoming an ER nurse was my goal during nursing school. Receiving the ENAF scholarship spurred me to continue working toward my goal. It allowed me extra time to devote to my studies instead of working extra hours at my job. I am now an ER nurse at a pediatric hospital. I feel the scholarship and my ENA membership contributed to my successfully obtaining my goal. Thank you for your support."

ENAF will triennially administer the survey to scholarship recipients and share feedback with donors and other decision-makers.

Since its establishment in 1991, ENAF has provided emergency nurses with 224 scholarships totaling $330,600. Scholarship winners have come from almost every state. The amount awarded has steadily increased, with the largest disbursement of $83,528 in 2004. Unfortunately, while the Foundation was very pleased to have assisted the largest number of recipients to date in 2005, we were unable to fund approximately 52 applications due to insufficient resources. A goal of $100,000 for new scholarships has been established for 2006.

The ENAF was established in 1991, strengthening ENA’s commitment to excellence in emergency nursing care and demonstrating the importance of providing ongoing educational and research opportunities for its members. The ENAF provides educational scholarships in emergency nursing for undergraduate, advanced practice and doctoral levels of study. Additionally, the Foundation provides research grants in the field to expand and advance the knowledge base of emergency nursing, reduce emergency department overcrowding, reduce the nursing shortage and improve patient safety.