State Connection

Illinois ENA State Council
Submitted by Sharon Schultz, RN, MPH; 2004 President, Illinois ENA State Council

This has been an exciting year for the Illinois ENA State Council. This past January our Illinois State ENA Council was awarded a grant through IDPH in the amount of $75,000 for FY 2004. This grant is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources Administration (HRSA) for the National Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Program. This grant will allow us to further develop our INVENT Program, (Illinois Nurse Volunteer Emergency Needs Team). The intent of INVENT is to prepare a team of nurses, on a voluntary basis, to support emergency departments across Illinois when a critical incident occurs that is suspect to Bioterrorism.

We are finally able to say that Illinois has a Primary Safety Belt law. The road leading to the passage and signing of the bill was long and tortuous. There was extreme opposition from the President of the Illinois Senate. A primary enforcement belt bill was introduced in 2001 and in 2002, the Government Affairs/Injury Prevention Committee from our State Council went to work.  There were many people who were responsible for the enactment of the primary belt bill in Illinois, and we are proud to say that we were a part of it. The joy and feeling of satisfaction we felt when it passed, knowing that we did our part to educate the legislators on its importance cannot be taken away.

Emergency department nurses were recognized throughout the State for their roles in emergency care, bioterrorism, and leadership. In February 26 nurses were recognized from the Black Nurses Association, and during Nurses Week another 10 were recognized through our local Nursing Spectrum. In addition, many more emergency nurses were recognized at our Thirtieth Annual State Council Spring Symposium for their commitment to advancing emergency nursing across the ages and the State.

Missouri River ENA Chapter
Submitted by Mary Scott, RN; 2004 President, Missouri River ENA Chapter

The Missouri River Chapter of ENA in Bismarck, North Dakota, is sponsoring our fourth conference for nurses and health care professionals aboard the Carnival Cruise ship Destiny. This is a seven-day Southern Caribbean cruise, starting in San Juan, and running January 2-9, 2005. The travel destinations are St.Thomas/St. John, Dominica, Barbados, and Aruba. Application for six (6) contact hours will be made. The conference is held two mornings, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., on our full days at sea. Costs vary, depending on your location of departure. For more information, call 866/280-3517 and ask for Jodi.