emergency nurses—where will we be in 25 years?
TRANSCRIPT
Australasian Emergency Nursing Journal (2010) 13, 41
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CONFERENCE REPORT
Emergency nurses—–Where will we be in 25 years?
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The organisers and speakers at 7th International conferencefor Emergency Nursing held on the Gold Coast in Octoberthis year succeeded in demonstrating the emergency nursesare thoughtfully and successfully ‘‘balancing the art andscience’’. As the conference promotion stated ‘‘EmergencyNurses are busier than ever.’’ The push for evidence-basedpractice and quality and safety in health care means emer-gency nurses are doing more with less. These and othercompeting priorities are challenging the provision of emer-gency nursing care.
In keeping with this theme we heard many innovative,information and motivating presentations of leadership,experience and research, particularly evaluating our numer-ous current roles. We also heard about implications forperforming these roles in the context of various prac-tice environments, which have the commonalities of beingembedded in meeting targets, advancing technology, vio-lence, infection, outbreaks and overcrowding.
Many of the excellent presentations highlighted how inour current roles and challenging environments we are doingour best to provide safe and effective care for increasinglycomplex patients with increasingly high expectations. Butwhat of the future, where will we be in 25 years? The closingsession of the conference was a highly stimulating series ofshort and succinct presentations in response to the followingquestion. . .. It is the year 2025—–what is the scope of practiceof the ED nurse? What are our challenges, and how do webest prepare?
We were extremely privileged to hear the opinions of adiverse group of distinguished speakers. It was an honourand a pleasure to be part of such stimulating discussion.The panel members were (in order of appearance):
• Major General John Pearn AO, Professor of Child Healthand Surgeon General (Retired)
• Dr Julie Considine, Senior Research Fellow, Deakin Uni-versity and The Northern Hospital
• Professor Andrew Cashin, Southern Cross University• Dr Renee’ Holleran, Editor in Chief, Journal of Emergency
Nursing
1574-6267/$ — see front matterdoi:10.1016/j.aenj.2009.11.002
Ms Sue Huckson, Director Effective Practice Program.National Institute for Clinical Studies (NHMRC)Dr Eleanor Milligan, Clinical Ethicist, Princess AlexandraHospital and Griffith University
The key themes that emerged from the debate includedhat technology is playing an increasing role in informationnd communication but we will still need to rely on our clin-cal judgment and humanity. Yet with that technology andubsequent globalisation, we have a responsibility to initiatelobal care and systems research relating to health. Thatnsuing environmental changes will have increasing impli-ations on population relocation and disease. That profes-ional regulations and boundaries are symbiotic and becom-ng increasingly important, and as such, is it essential to haveolitically savvy nurses at the coalface and in leadershipositions to ensure that nurses make decisions for nurses areriving and informing health policy reform and research. Allf the above themes will require input and leadership fromur younger colleagues, and so preparing the next genera-ions from the outset with clever and futuristic curriculumesign is essential. Finally, threaded through out each of thesteemed speakers’ presentations was the fundamental car-ng role of nursing. Patients and their family will still needomeone educated and informed to reassure them, explainhings, teach, save their life and be their advocate in an everhallenging care delivery environment. So whatever role were in and where ever we are, it will be about informedaring of patients, their family and ourselves as a profession.
Kate Curtis, RN, PhDa,b,∗a St George Hospital, Trauma Service, Sydney, Australia
b Faculty of Nursing, University of Sydney, Australia
∗ Correspondence address: Trauma Service, St GeorgeHospital, Gray St, Kogarah, NSW, 2217, Australia.
E-mail addresses: [email protected],[email protected]
12 November 2009