Record-breaking 126 Emergency Departments Earn ENA Lantern Awards

Record-breaking 126 Emergency Departments Earn ENA Lantern Awards

PR Newswire

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., July 27, 2026

First-ever six-time winner among honorees recognized for excellenceSCHAUMBURG, Ill., July 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognizing emergency departments for their exceptional innovation and evidence-based practice, the Emergency Nurses Association announced a record-breaking 126 emergency departments earned the 2026 Lantern Award.

"The Lantern recognizes something incredibly special. It isn't an award for an individual or an entire hospital—it's a recognition earned by an emergency department and the team that powers it every day," said ENA President Dustin Bass, DNP, MHA, RN, CEN, NEA-BC. "These 126 departments have demonstrated what is possible when emergency nurses lead with purpose, innovation and a relentless commitment to excellence."To be considered for a Lantern, departments must submit a comprehensive application which measures the ways they excel at meeting challenges that range from ED boarding to lowering the time it takes for stroke patients to receive care to improving pediatric readiness or enhancing nurse professional development. A committee scores applications to determine recipients annually."Having had the privilege of leading two emergency departments that achieved Lantern designation, I don't see it simply as an award. I see it as a framework for operational excellence that challenges leaders and teams to continuously improve patient care, strengthen workplace culture, invest in professional development and use data to drive better outcomes," Bass said. "The Lanterns reflect intentional work, measurable improvement and a culture that never stops asking to better serve patients, teams and communities. That's what excellence in emergency nursing looks like."This year, three hospitals were the first in their respective states to be awarded Lanterns:Queens Medical Center Emergency Department in Honolulu, Hawai'iDartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon, New HampshireCheyenne Regional Medical Center Emergency Department in Cheyenne, Wyoming.Also, Atlantic Overlook Medical Center Emergency Services Union Campus, in Union, New Jersey, is the first emergency department to receive the Lantern Award six times since the program's inception in 2011.Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi Emergency Department, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is the only department outside the United States to earn a Lantern this year, its third since 2020.Lantern recognition lasts for three years, and recipients may re-apply three years after their prior award. More information about the process is at ena.org/lantern.2026 Lantern Award recipients by stateBanner Estrella Medical Center Emergency Department – Phoenix, ArizonaWashington Regional Medical Center Emergency Department – Fayetteville, ArkansasChildren's Hospital Orange County (CHOC) Emergency Department – Orange County, CaliforniaEl Camino Health Emergency Department Mountain View – Mountain View, CaliforniaKaiser Permanente Emergency Department Sacramento Medical Center – Sacramento, CaliforniaKaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center Emergency Department – Roseville, CaliforniaMarc and Laura Andreessen Adult Emergency Department at Stanford Health Care – Palo Alto, CaliforniaMarc and Laura Andreessen Pediatric Emergency Department at Stanford Health Care – Palo Alto, CaliforniaMartin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital Emergency Department – Los Angeles, CaliforniaPalomar UC San Diego Health Escondido Emergency Department – Escondido, CaliforniaPomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Emergency Department – Pomona, CaliforniaSanta Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Department – Santa Barbara, CaliforniaSanta Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Emergency Department – Solvang, CaliforniaSharp Grossmont Hospital Emergency Department – La Mesa, CaliforniaSharp Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – San Diego, CaliforniaSutter Medical Center, Sacramento Emergency Department – Sacramento, CaliforniaSutter Roseville Medical Center Emergency Department – Roseville, CaliforniaUCLA Santa Monica Nethercutt Emergency Department – Santa Monica, CaliforniaChildren's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department, Anschutz Medical Campus – Aurora, ColoradoSouthmoor Emergency Room & UC – Denver, ColoradoVail Health Emergency Department – Vail, ColoradoNorwalk Hospital Emergency Department – Norwalk, ConnecticutSaint Mary's Hospital Emergency Department – Waterbury, ConnecticutMedStar Washington Hospital Center Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Department – Washington, D.C.ChristianaCare Wilmington Hospital Emergency Department – Wilmington, DelawareAdventHealth Dade City Emergency Department – Dade City, FloridaAdventHealth Lake Mary Emergency Department – Lake Mary, FloridaAdventHealth Winter Park Emergency Department – Winter Park, FloridaAdventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Department – Ukiah, FloridaBaptist Hospital of Miami Emergency Department – Miami, FloridaBascom Palmer Eye Institute Emergency Department – Miami, FloridaCape Coral Hospital Emergency Department – Cape Coral, FloridaCleveland Clinic Weston Hospital Emergency Department – Weston, FloridaMuma Children's Hospital at TGH Pediatric Emergency Department – Tampa, FloridaNaples Comprehensive Health Baker Emergency Department – Naples, FloridaNaples Comprehensive Health Bonita Springs Freestanding Emergency Department – Bonita Springs, FloridaNicklaus Children's Hospital Emergency Department – Miami, FloridaArthur M. Blank Emergency Department – Atlanta, GeorgiaEmory Johns Creek Hospital Emergency Department – Johns Creek, GeorgiaNortheast Georgia Medical Center - Barrow Emergency Department – Winder, GeorgiaNortheast Georgia Medical Center - Gainesville Emergency Department – Gainesville, GeorgiaPiedmont Athens Regional Emergency Department – Athens, GeorgiaWellstar West Georgia Medical Center Emergency Department – LaGrange, GeorgiaThe Queen's Medical Center Emergency Department – Honolulu, HawaiiAdvocate Condell Medical Center Emergency Department – Libertyville, IllinoisAdvocate Good Shepherd Hospital Emergency Department – Barrington, IllinoisAdvocate Sherman Hospital Emergency Department – Elgin, IllinoisAscension Saint Alexius Medical Center Emergency Department – Hoffman Estates, IllinoisNorthwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Emergency Department – Winfield, IllinoisNorthwestern Medicine Grayslake Freestanding Emergency Department – Grayslake, IllinoisNorthwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital Emergency Department – Huntley, IllinoisNorthwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital Emergency Department – DeKalb, IllinoisIndiana University Health Methodist Hospital - Emergency Medicine & Trauma Center – Indianapolis, IndianaCenterpoint Health - Georgetown Emergency Department – Georgetown, KentuckySt. Elizabeth Healthcare Fort Thomas Emergency Department – Fort Thomas, KentuckySt. Elizabeth Healthcare Grant County Emergency Department – Williamstown, KentuckyEmerson Health Emergency Department – Concord, MassachusettsRegions Hospital Emergency Department – St. Paul, MinnesotaCHI Health Good Samaritan Emergency Department – Kearney, NebraskaChildren's Nebraska Emergency Department – Omaha, NebraskaDartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department – Lebanon, New HampshireAtlantic Health CentraState Medical Center Emergency Department – Freehold, New JerseyAtlantic Health Overlook Medical Center Emergency Services Union Campus – Union, New JerseyClara Maass Medical Center Emergency Department, RWJBarnabas Health – Belleville, New JerseyCooper University Health Care Camden Campus Emergency Department – Camden, New JerseyHackensack Meridian Health Old Bridge Medical Center Emergency Department – Old Bridge, New JerseyHackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center Emergency Department – Perth Amboy, New JerseyHackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center Emergency Department – Manahawkin, New JerseyHMH Bayshore Medical Center, Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center – Holmdel, New JerseyHMH Palisades Medical Center Emergency Department – North Bergen, New JerseyInspira Medical Center Elmer Emergency Department – Elmer, New JerseyJersey Shore University Medical Center Main Emergency Department – Neptune, New JerseyJersey Shore University Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department –Neptune, New JerseyMorristown Medical Center, Sameth Emergency Department – Morristown, New JerseyOcean University Medical Center Emergency Department – Brick, New JerseySt. Joseph's Health University Medical Center Emergency Department – Paterson, New JerseySt. Joseph's Health Wayne Medical Center Emergency Department – Wayne, New JerseyThe Valley Hospital Bolger Emergency Department – Paramus, New JerseyGlen Cove Hospital Emergency Department – Glen Cove, New YorkLong Island Jewish Valley Stream Emergency Department, Northwell – Valley Stream, New YorkNew York Presbyterian Westchester Hospital Emergency Department – Bronxville, New YorkNorthwell Health Mather Hospital Emergency Department – Port Jefferson, New YorkSyosset Hospital Emergency Department – Syosset, New YorkThe Mount Sinai Hospital - Saul Family Emergency Department – New York, New YorkWhite Plains Hospital Emergency Department – White Plains, New YorkAtrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Adult Emergency Department – Charlotte, North CarolinaOnslow Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – Jacksonville, North CarolinaUNC Health Pardee Emergency Department – Hendersonville, North CarolinaBethesda Arrow Springs Emergency Department - TriHealth – Lebanon, OhioCleveland Clinic Main Campus Emergency Department – Cleveland, OhioCleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital Emergency Department – Garfield Heights, OhioCleveland Clinic Medina Hospital Emergency Department – Medina, OhioGood Samaritan Hospital, Western Ridge Emergency Department - TriHealth – Cincinnati, OhioMcCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital Emergency Department - TriHealth – Oxford, OhioMercy Health - Fairfield Hospital Emergency Department – Fairfield, OhioMetroHealth Medical Center Brecksville Emergency Department – Brecksville, OhioMetroHealth Medical Center Cleveland Heights Emergency Department – Cleveland Heights, OhioMetroHealth Medical Center Main Campus Emergency Department – Cleveland, OhioMetroHealth Medical Center Parma Emergency Department – Parma, OhioThe Christ Hospital - Liberty Township Emergency Department – Liberty Township, OhioThe Christ Hospital Emergency Department – Cincinnati, OhioJefferson Abington Hospital Emergency Trauma Center – Abington, PennsylvaniaJefferson Torresdale Hospital Emergency Department – Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaMount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department – State College, PennsylvaniaPenn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital Emergency Department – Lancaster, PennsylvaniaThe Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Emergency Department – Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaUPMC Hamot Emergency Department – Erie, PennsylvaniaThe Miriam Hospital Emergency Department – Providence, Rhode IslandYale New Haven Westerly Hospital Emergency Department – Westerly, Rhode IslandLexington Medical Center Emergency Department – West Columbia, South CarolinaMUSC Ashley River Tower Emergency Department – Charleston, South CarolinaPrisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – Greenville, South CarolinaAudie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital Emergency Department – San Antonio, TexasChildren's Medical Center Plano Emergency Department – Plano, TexasCHRISTUS Children's Emergency Department – San Antonio, TexasMemorial Hermann the Woodlands Medical Center Emergency Department – The Woodlands, TexasMethodist Hospital Texsan Emergency Department – San Antonio, TexasMethodist Midlothian Medical Center Emergency Department – Midlothian, TexasUT Southwestern Medical Center - William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital Emergency Department – Dallas, TexasChildren's Hospital of Richmond at VCU Emergency Department – Richmond, VirginiaInova Fair Oaks Hospital Emergency Department – Fairfax, VirginiaReston Hospital Center Emergency Department – Reston, VirginiaFroedtert Hospital Emergency Department – Milwaukee, WisconsinMayo Clinic Health System - Eau Claire Emergency Department – Eau Claire, WisconsinCheyenne Regional Medical Center Emergency Department – Cheyenne, WyomingCleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Emergency Department – Abu Dhabi, United Arab EmiratesAbout the Emergency Nurses AssociationThe 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 40,000 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.orgENA Media Contact:Mike TishCommunications Specialist847.460.4102 Mike.tish@ena.org