Lantern Award
The Only Award for Emergency Departments
The award is a way to showcase your ED’s accomplishments in incorporating evidence-based practice and innovation into emergency care, and a visible symbol of your commitment to quality, safety, and a healthy work environment.
The 2026 application for Cycle 16 has been revised to streamline the application process and to better reflect how EDs are excelling with healthy work environments and other current topics of importance to emergency nurses and emergency departments.
Please see all revised documents below.
It will be a requirement for each emergency department applying to complete the AACN Healthy Work Environment Assessment (Team version) and report the score received, and participation rate into the Lantern application.
Your Lantern Award Story
The Lantern Award application asks you to tell your story. What you are proud of and what you do well is the story ENA wants to hear.
The Lantern Award application includes quantitative questions that focus on performance and outcome metrics, as well as qualitative questions about noteworthy practices and attributes of your emergency department. The qualitative questions require brief narratives or longer descriptive exemplars that highlight your emergency department’s excellence and innovation.
Your story, as you define it in your application, will cover each of these core areas:
- Leadership – Practice: qualities that foster professional pride, confidence and a community of support for emergency nurses
- Leadership – Operations: operational improvement activities and development of systems and processes
- Education: instilling knowledge and competency through quality and accessible education
- Advocacy: how the future of the emergency nursing profession and quality patient care are influenced through advocacy and innovation in your emergency department
- Research – Practice: advancing the emergency nursing profession and practice through quality improvement, research and the evaluation of clinical outcomes.
Lantern Award recipients receive a physical award to display in their emergency department as well as recognition through ENA publications, conferences, and the ENA website. In addition, award recipients are entitled to use an official Lantern Award seal in communications and advertising for the duration of the award period (e.g., in email signatures, on your website).
The Lantern Award is open to all emergency departments who complete the online application. The award period is three years and recipients have the option of re-applying at the end of their award period.
Getting Started
The first step on your journey to the Lantern Award is to review the Coaching Guide, and FAQs completely to determine whether you can provide the measures and stories of excellence that are required to become an award recipient.
Resources for the Application Process
2025-2026 Application Timeline
Below is the application timeline for Cycle 16:
| Deadline | Task |
|---|---|
| Nov. 19 | Link to online application is available. |
| Feb. 25 | Application submission deadline. |
| March 30 | Application fee of $3,500 is due. |
| Nov.19-March 30 | ENA staff review applications as submitted to ensure de-identification and contact applicants with any questions. |
| Jan. 1-March 30 | Lantern Committee receives extensive reviewer training and review sample applications. Interrater reliability analyses are completed to ensure scoring is within one standard deviation. |
| Ongoing | ENA staff assign three reviewers to each application. |
| March 30-May 30 | Lantern Committee reviews, scores and provides feedback for assigned applications. |
| May 30-June 30 | ENA staff compiles scores. All applicants who receive an overall minimum of 80 percent are award recipients. |
| July 1-30 | Recipients and non-recipients are notified of outcomes. |
Please contact LanternAward@ena.org with any questions.
Application Payment Options
The application fee is $3,500 for all hospitals.
Payment may be made prior to, during, or after completing the application. Payment may be made via credit card, check or electronic transfer. All payments will be due by March 30.
Payment options:
- Payment - Credit Cards
- Payment via check - Please email LanternAward@ena.org and an invoice will be provided to you.
- Payment via wire transfer - Please include the name of your individual hospital in the transfer so payment may be accurately applied.
Application Assistance
Application Assistance
Below are resources to help you submit an application:
- Infographic: Applying for the Award
- Executive Summary
- Application Questions
- Lantern Award Coaching Guide
- FAQs
- Glossary of Terms
- Supporting Literature
If you have additional questions, reach out to ENA at LanternAward@ena.org.
Questions?
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact ENA at LanternAward@ena.org.
Meet the Lantern Award Recipients
Before diving into your hospital's application, visit ENA's Hall of Honor to meet previous ENA Lantern Award recipients.
Hear From Past Lantern Award Recipients
Check out what previous Lantern Award recipients have to say about earning the honor
“For many of our nurses, physicians, techs, and support staff, the recognition validated years of hard work, resilience, and commitment to equity in emergency care. It boosted morale across shifts and inspired a renewed sense of pride in Grady’s mission and legacy. Staff have expressed feeling more seen and appreciated.”
- Grady Health System ED (Georgia)
"Achieving this recognition has served to instantly boost the morale of the ED staff and has provided reaffirmation of the exceptional care being provided each and every day.”
- Penn Medicine - Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (Pennsylvania)
“Receiving national recognition specific to the emergency department through the ENA Lantern Award reflects our steadfast commitment to delivering safe, high-quality, and patient-centered care to the diverse community we serve. This prestigious designation not only reinforces our position as the #1 Best Hospital in Virginia and the DC area but also contributes to the broader reputation of our health system as a leader in emergency medicine.”
- Inova Fairfax Hospital Adult ED (Virginia)
“Achieving the Lantern Award has been a moment of immense pride for our Emergency Department at Doctors Hospital. This recognition validated the dedication, teamwork, and resilience our staff demonstrate every day in delivering safe, high-quality, patient-centered care. It boosted morale across the department and reinforced our commitment to innovation, excellence, and a healthy work environment.”
- Baptist Health Doctors Hospital (Florida)