ENA Foundation Announces Second Class of ENDVR Fellows

Recipients plan research to increase representation of gender, LGBTQIA+ and language in nursing

SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (May 18, 2023) – On Thursday, the ENA Foundation announced the two fellows selected for the 2023 Emergency Nursing Diverse Voices Research Fellowship. Both fellows were first-generation college students who are dedicated to bettering themselves and the future of emergency nursing.

The 2023 ENDVR Fellows are:

• Brian Burns, DNP, MSN, ARNP-CS, RN, CPEN, of Seattle, Washington, who wants to identify areas where health disparities exist in emergency department care and research interventions to reduce or eliminate those disparities.
• Samuel Gaona, RN, of Santa Rosa, California, who is narrowing down his research focus to either a look at reducing the percentage of patients who leave without being seen, analyzing the efficacy of discharging pediatric patients without antibiotics or patient discharge instruction adherence in Spanish-speaking populations based on having a bilingual nurse or not.

In 2022, the ENA Foundation, Emergency Nursing Research Advisory Council and ENA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Committee partnered together to launch the ENDVR Fellowship program aimed at increasing diversity in nursing research, while also providing support and mentoring to emerging researchers who are members of underrepresented groups.

In research, it is important to have diverse lines of inquiry to ensure that all voices, of nurses and patients, are represented and heard. This year’s fellows will bring diverse perspectives and lived experiences to their research allowing them to recognize possible gaps in emergency care which they can use this grant to research and improve.

“All of the applicants this year showed great initiative, but this year’s fellows stood out for their passion to improve the day-to-day care in the emergency department, as well as increase the diversity and representation within the profession,” said ENA Foundation Chairperson Mike Hastings, MSN, RN, CEN.

The 2023 Fellows will attend and participate in research activities at Emergency Nursing 2023 in San Diego; partner with a member of the Emergency Nursing Research Advisory Council who will serve as a mentor; develop a research project to be conducted locally; attend advisory council meetings; and present their results and findings at Emergency Nursing 2024. The fellowship may extend to two years as needed.

“Increasing diversity, equity and inclusivity is an important pillar of ENA. I’m thrilled to see Brian and Samuel dedicated to supporting this association mission, while also furthering their career,” said ENA President Terry Foster, MSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CCRN, TCRN, FAEN. “It’s inspiring to see young nurses who are committed to improving the day-to-day care in emergency departments for people from all walks of life.”

Learn more about ENA’s DEI position, mission and resources by visiting www.ena.org/ena/dei.