ENA President Patti Kunz Howard to Testify Before House Committee
June 24, 2019 • Advocacy EMSC ENA Pediatric Washington DC
Howard to speak Tuesday as part of hearing on vital health programs for American families
SCHAUMBURG, Ill. (June 24, 2019) – Emergency Nurses Association President Patti Kunz Howard, PhD, RN, CEN, CPEN, TCRN, NE-BC, FAEN, FAAN, will appear before a House committee in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday to express support for the Emergency Medical Services for Children Program Reauthorization Act of 2019.
Howard, ENA’s only two-time president, is among four witnesses invited to testify in the Health Subcommittee of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce as part of its hearing on “Reauthorizing Vital Health Programs for American Families.”
According to written testimony provided to the committee, Howard will discuss the importance of the Emergency Medical Services for Children Reauthorization Act, a bill which would ensure appropriate prehospital and emergency department care for children in the United States. Howard’s comments are informed by her four decades of experience, expertise and passion for providing the best possible care to all patients, regardless of age.
ENA has long supported EMSC and made it a focal point of its annual Day on the Hill event in May.
With 30 million children and adolescents visiting emergency departments each year, ENA recognizes the unique challenges – including the need for specialized supplies, equipment and medications – this patient population presents. As part of its commitment to care, ENA encourages lawmakers to reauthorize the EMSC program through 2024 to ensure it continues to make a positive impact on the treatment of children in the emergency department.
First established in 1984, EMSC is the only federal program dedicated to improving emergency care for children by ensuring that – no matter where they live, attend school or travel – they receive appropriate care in a health care emergency. The EMSC program, last reauthorized in 2014, gives ED professionals and prehospital emergency medical services personnel with improved access to pediatric-appropriate equipment, medication, supplies and training.
Howard is scheduled to appear before the committee at 10 a.m. eastern time on Tuesday. The hearing will be available for viewing on the committee’s website.
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.
