Current Research Initiatives

ENA-initiated Research

The studies listed below are either currently in progress or were recently completed. Contact ENR@ena.org for further information.

Workplace Violence Surveillance
  • Longitudinal, descriptive analysis of workplace violence trends in emergency departments to identify trends and potential impact points for solutions. This study is in development and will be conducted annually.
  • Recruitment for 2025 starts in Q3.
  • Interested in participating? Please submit your information here. ENA will contact you with additional information.
Emergency Department Staffing
  • A multi-phase study to explore the relationships between various staffing patterns and patient outcomes. The purpose of this study is to describe emergency nurses' understanding of safe staffing to explore which types of staffing patterns result in the least amount of missed care, missed decompensation and length of stay.
  • The first phase manuscript is under review.
  • Second phase survey recruiting in Q2/3 of 2025.
Emergency Nursing Quality Indicators Validation
  • Demonstrate the validity of previously established ED-specific, nurse-sensitive quality indicators.
  • Acute Myocardial Infarction and Heart Failure quality indicator validation published in the Journal of Nursing Care Quality.
  • Preeclampsia and suicide ideation quality indicator validation manuscripts under review.
  • Other quality indicators are currently in data analysis.
Risk to Researchers
  • A qualitative study on the experiences of U.S. emergency nurse researchers identifying and managing moral distress associated with conducting and participating in research.
  • The manuscript is currently under review.
Obstetrical Education for Emergency Nurses
  • Pilot study to develop a brief emergency nursing-specific course on core obstetrical knowledge. Two versions of this study are currently in progress. ENA’s work with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Rutgers University is looking at pre- and post-implementation of education in an ED via a retrospective chart review along with knowledge retention. A separate engagement with this work is funded by AIM/ACOG and AWHONN to additionally disseminate AWHONN’s 4- and 8-hour obstetrical nursing courses. This study looks at knowledge retention and the overall breadth of dissemination across the United States.
  • Currently in data analysis.
Triage Competency Verification
  • This study aims to identify and validate the core competencies required for effective triage nursing in U.S. emergency departments.
  • Published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing in January 2025.
Tiered-Triage Modeling
  • This is a multi-phase study designed to establish and pilot test a system of creating triage tiers to support and enhance the patient care trajectory. This study stems from an ENA General Assembly resolution.
  • Phase one was published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing in December 2024.
Emergency Nurse Practitioner Competencies Validation
Frailty
  • Assessing emergency nurse's understanding of frailty and its application to triage and disposition decision-making.
  • Published in Geriatric Nursing in July 2024.
Free-standing EDs
  • Descriptive study on free-standing EDs including their availability, usage trends, staffing trends and the impact on emergency nursing care. This study stems from an ENA General Assembly resolution.
  • Published in the Journal of Emergency Nursingin March 2024.
Advanced Trauma Competencies
Charge Nurse Competencies
  • Identify core competencies of the charge nurse role specific to the ED environment.
  • Published in the Journal of Emergency Nursing in April 2024.