Former ENA President Receives Emergency Nurses Association’s Most Prestigious Award
June 13, 2019 • Achievement Awards ENA Hall of Honor
ENA’s annual achievement awards recognize exemplary emergency nursing professionals
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (June 13, 2019) – The Emergency Nurses Association on Thursday announced Matthew F. Powers, MS, BSN, RN, MICP, CEN, FAEN, as the recipient of the association’s most prestigious honor – the 2019 Judith C. Kelleher Award.
ENA recognized Powers – the association’s 2015 president and one-time interim executive director – for his career-long contributions to emergency nursing, as well as his continued professional excellence. Powers, of Pleasant Hill, California, joined ENA in 2000, served on the board of directors between 2010 and 2015, and is currently chairperson of the Nominations and Elections Committee and the EMS Advisory Council.
“As someone fortunate enough to have known Judy for many years, I must say this is a true heartfelt honor that words cannot fully describe,” said Powers, a battalion chief who oversees the North County Fire Authority’s EMS division and is the assistant nurse manager in the Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek emergency department.
In total, ENA announced recipients of 15 individual awards that highlight emergency nurses who exemplify exceptional performance in professional practice, innovation, leadership and advocacy. ENA President Patti Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, said the honorees embody the association’s “Committed to Care” mantra.
“It is an honor for any member to be nominated for an ENA award by their colleagues. The exemplary care and accomplishments of these award recipients are a testament to their commitment to their patients and the profession of emergency nursing,” Howard said.
All 2019 ENA Annual Achievement Award recipients will be recognized at Emergency Nursing 2019 in Austin, Texas, Sept. 29-Oct. 2:
Barbara A. Foley Quality, Safety and Injury Prevention Award: Mary Pargin, MSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, of Indiana
Behind the Scenes Award: Jane Friona, MHSA, BS, of Indiana
Clinical Nurse Specialist Award: Jean Proehl, MN, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, FAEN, FAAN, of New Hampshire
Frank L. Cole Nurse Practitioner Award: Nycole Oliver, DNP, RN, APRN, CEN, ACNPC-AG, FNP-C, of Arkansas
Gail Lenehan Advocacy Award: Penelope (Penny) Blake, RN, CEN, CCRN, of Florida
Lifetime Achievement Award: Kathy Robinson, RN, FAEN, of Pennsylvania
Media Award: Fast Facts for the Triage Nurse: An Orientation and Care Guide, 2nd Edition – Lynn Sayre Visser, MSN, RN, PHN, CEN, CPEN and Anna Montejano, DNP, RN, PHN, CEN, of California
Nurse Manager Award: Joseph Kennon, RN, EMT-P, CEN, CPEN, of Arkansas
Nursing Competency in Aging Award: Vicki Patrick, MS, APRN, CEN, ACNP-BC, FAEN, of Texas
Nursing Education Award: Lisa Eckenrode, DNP, MSN, MBA, RN, NRP, TCRN, of Pennsylvania
Nursing Practice and Professionalism Award: Christine Gisness, MSN, RN, FNP, CEN, ATCN, ENP-C, FNP-C, TCRN, FAEN, of Georgia
Pediatric Readiness Improvement Award: Karen Kaskie, BSN, RN, CEN, CPEN, CFRN, of South Dakota
Rising Star Award: Kristine Klausing, BSN, RN, CEN, TCRN, of Ohio
Team Award: Stroke Team Project Committee – Good Samaritan Hospital, Vincennes, Indiana
The Emergency Nurses Association is the premier professional nursing association dedicated to defining the future of emergency nursing through advocacy, education, research, innovation, and leadership. Founded in 1970, ENA has proven to be an indispensable resource to the global emergency nursing community. With 50,000 members worldwide, ENA advocates for patient safety, develops industry-leading practice standards and guidelines and guides emergency health care public policy. ENA members have expertise in triage, patient care, disaster preparedness, and all aspects of emergency care. Additional information is available at www.ena.org.
