ENA Recognized as Specialist Affiliate with International Council of Nurses

ICN involvement allows collaboration with international nursing groups

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (April 21, 2025) – Dedicated to reaching emergency nurses worldwide, the Emergency Nurses Association was recently granted specialist affiliate status by the International Council of Nurses.

“Gaining the specialist affiliate status is a milestone in ENA history,” said ENA President Ryan Oglesby, PhD, MHA, RN, CEN, CFRN, NEA-BC. “Being part of an international nursing organization of ICN’s stature acknowledges ENA as a truly global organization and validates our place as a leader of emergency nursing in the global nursing community.”

The International Council of Nurses is a federation of more than 130 national nursing associations, representing over 28 million nurses worldwide. Founded in 1899, ICN is the world’s first and most far-reaching international organization for health professionals and it is one of the most influential voices in nursing. In addition to national nursing association members, ICN grants affiliate status to specialty nursing organizations that are aligned with its mission, maintain a broad international membership, and provide expertise on key global priorities.

The ICN grants affiliate status to international specialist nursing organizations that:

• Have a mission, mandate, constitution, and objectives that align with those of the ICN.
• Demonstrate that the majority of their members and officials are nurses, with nurses empowered to make decisions on all nursing matters.
• Operate either as an organization of individual members, as a federation of national organizations, or as a combination of both.
• Maintain a working relationship with ICN members or actively encourage such relationships to strengthen the nursing voice nationally.
• Include members from at least four of the ICN regions, ensuring representation from both developed and developing countries.

As a Specialist Affiliate, ENA and its nearly 45,000 members across more than 45 countries gain a stronger voice in the global nursing community. The affiliation enhances ENA’s ability to influence international health policy, collaborate with national nursing associations, exchange best practices and elevate emergency care worldwide.

ENA will further its global engagement by participating in the ICN Congress 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, joining more than 5,000 nurses from around the world under the inspiring theme: “Nursing Power to Change the World.”

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