The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) has recently recognized 94 emergency departments (EDs) across the United States for their outstanding commitment to quality, safety, and fostering a healthy work environment. This prestigious honor, known as the Lantern Award, was established in 2011 to acknowledge EDs that exhibit exceptional and innovative leadership, practice, education, advocacy, and research.

The Lantern Award is named in tribute to Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who earned the title "Lady of the Lamp" for carrying a lantern as she tended to wounded soldiers during the Crimean War. This award symbolizes the light and guidance that exceptional EDs provide in the field of emergency nursing.

To be considered for this honor, EDs must submit stories highlighting their dedication to patient care and initiatives designed to ensure the well-being of their nursing staff. Notably, five recipients this year have earned the award multiple times: Boston Children's Hospital has been recognized five times; Penn Medicine's Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia has received it four times; and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Nemours Children's Hospital Florida in Orlando, and TriHealth Bethesda Butler in Hamilton, Ohio, have each been honored three times.

The 2024 Lantern Award recipients were announced on July 10, showcasing the continued excellence and innovative practices in emergency nursing across the nation. Here is the list of the esteemed EDs recognized this year:

Abrazo Buckeye (Ariz.) Emergency Center 

AdventHealth Orlando (Fla.) Emergency Department

Advocate Children's Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department (Oak Lawn, Ill.)

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Department (Downers Grove, Ill.)

Advocate Lutheran General Adult Emergency Department (Park Ridge, Ill.)

AHN Jefferson Hospital Emergency Department (Jefferson Hills, Pa.)

AHN Wexford Hospital Emergency Department (Wexford, Pa.)

Ascension Alexian Brothers Emergency Department (Elk Grove Village, Ill.)

Atrium Health Cabarrus Hospital Emergency Department (Concord, N.C.)

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Grapevine Emergency Department (Grapevine, Texas)

Boston Children's Hospital Emergency Department 

Bridgeport Hospital, Bridgeport Emergency Department (Bridgeport, Conn.)

Bridgeport Hospital, Milford Emergency Department (Milford, Conn.)

Catholic Health-Mercy Hospital Emergency Department (Rockville Centre, N.Y.)

CHI Health St. Elizabeth Hospital Emergency Department (Lincoln, Neb.)

Children's Emergency Department-University Health Women's & Children's Hospital (San Antonio)

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, The Maurice Marciano Family Foundation Emergency Department and Trauma Center 

Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Pediatric Emergency Department (New York City)

Children’s of Alabama Emergency Department (Birmingham, Ala.)

CHRISTUS Children's Westover Hills Free Standing Emergency Department (San Antonio)

Cleveland Clinic Martin South Emergency Department (Stuart, Fla.)

Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York Pediatric Emergency Department (New Hyde Park, N.Y.)

Dayton (Ohio) Children's Soin Pediatric Trauma and Emergency Center (Ohio)

Emory University Hospital Emergency Department (Atlanta)

Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center Adult Emergency Department

Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department

Hartford (Conn.) Hospital Emergency Department

Houston Methodist Baytown (Texas) Hospital Emergency Department

Houston Methodist The Woodlands (Texas) Hospital Emergency Department 

Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital Emergency Department 

Jefferson Bucks Emergency Department (Langhorne, Pa.)

Lee Memorial Hospital Emergency Department (Fort Myers, Fla.)

Long Island Jewish Medical Center Emergency Department (New Hyde Park, N.Y.)

Mayo Clinic Arizona Emergency Department (Phoenix)

Memorial Hermann Cypress (Texas) Hospital Emergency Department

Memorial Hermann Texas Medical Center Emergency Department (Houston)

Memorial Regional Hospital Emergency Department (Hollywood, Fla.)

Methodist Dallas Medical Center Emergency Department (Dallas)

Methodist ER Alamo Heights (San Antonio)

Methodist Mansfield (Texas) Medical Center Emergency Department (Mansfield, Texas)

Mount Sinai Morningside Emergency Department (New York City)

Mount Sinai South Nassau Emergency Department (Oceanside, N.Y.)

Mount Sinai West Emergency Department (New York City)

Nemours Children’s Hospital Florida Emergency Department (Orlando)

North Shore University Hospital Emergency Department (Manhasset, N.Y.)

Northeast Georgia Medical Center-Braselton (Ga.) Emergency Department (Braselton, Ga.)

Northeast Georgia Medical Center-Lumpkin Emergency Department (Dahlonega, Ga.)

Northwell Phelps Hospital Emergency Department (Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.)

Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital Emergency Department (Geneva, Ill.)

Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital Emergency Department (McHenry, Ill.)

Northwestern Medicine Woodstock Hospital Emergency Department (Woodstock, Ill.)

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Emergency Department (New York City)

NYC Health + Hospitals Queens Emergency Department (Jamaica Queens, N.Y.)

NYU Langone Health-Cobble Hill Emergency Department at the Joseph S. & Diane H. Steinberg Ambulatory Care Center (New York City)

NYU Langone Health Ronald O. Perelman Center for Emergency Services (New York City)

Orlando (Fla.) Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital Emergency Department 

Orlando (Fla.) Regional Medical Center Emergency Department 

Overlook Medical Center Emergency Services, Summit (N.J.) Campus 

Penn Medicine-Chester County Hospital Emergency Department (West Chester, Pa.)

Penn Medicine-Pennsylvania Hospital Emergency Department (Philadelphia)

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center Adult Emergency Department 

Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey (Pa.) Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department 

Piedmont Walton Hospital Emergency Department (Monroe, Ga.)

Plainview Hospital Emergency Department, Northwell Health (Plainview, N.Y.)

Providence Holy Cross Medical Center Emergency Department (Mission Hills, Calif.)

Rady Children's Hospital-San Diego Emergency Department

Riverside Regional Medical Center Emergency and Trauma Center (Newport News, Va.)

Riverview Medical Center Emergency Department (Red Bank, N.J.)

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center Emergency Department (Los Angeles)

Saint Peter's University Hospital Adult Emergency Department (New Brunswick, N.J.)

Sentara Norfolk (Va.) General Emergency Department (Norfolk, Va.)

Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center Emergency Department (Chula Vista, Calif.)

South Shore University Emergency Department (Bay Shore, N.Y.)

Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Emergency Department (Bennington)

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Covington (Ky.) Emergency Department

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Edgewood (Ky.) Emergency Department

St. Elizabeth Healthcare Florence (Ky.) Emergency Department

St. Francis Hospital and Heart Center Emergency Department (Roslyn, N.Y.)

Stony Brook (N.Y.) University Hospital Emergency Department

Sutter Health Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department (Modesto, Calif.)

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center: Acute Cancer Care Center (Houston)

Torrance (Calif.) Memorial Medical Center Emergency Department, Cedars-Sinai

TriHealth Bethesda Butler Hospital Emergency Department (Hamilton, Ohio)

UCF Lake Nona Hospital Emergency Department (Orlando, Fla.)

UF Health Jacksonville (Fla.) Emergency Department

University Hospital Adult Emergency Department-University Health (San Antonio)

University of California Davis Medical Center Emergency Department (Sacramento)

University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital Emergency Department 

University of Louisville (Ky.) Hospital Emergency Department

WellSpan York (Pa.) Hospital Emergency Department

Wellstar North Fulton Medical Center Emergency Department (Roswell, Ga.)

Wellstar Paulding Medical Center Emergency Department (Hiram, Ga.)

West Kendall Baptist Hospital Emergency Department (Miami)

Wolfson Children's Hospital Emergency Center and Porter Family Trauma Center (Jacksonville, Fla.)

For new nurses considering a career in the ED or experienced nurses looking to join a team that values quality and a supportive work environment, these award-winning departments represent the pinnacle of emergency nursing. Whether you are just starting your journey or seeking to bring your expertise to a renowned ED, the Lantern Award winners exemplify the highest standards in emergency care and nurse well-being. If you are a new Nurse check out my New Nurse MasterClass