Record-breaking 126 Emergency Departments Earn ENA Lantern Awards

First-ever six-time winner among honorees recognized for excellence

SCHAUMBURG, 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'i
• Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon, New Hampshire
• Cheyenne 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 state

1. Banner Estrella Medical Center Emergency Department – Phoenix, Arizona
2. Washington Regional Medical Center Emergency Department – Fayetteville, Arkansas
3. Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC) Emergency Department – Orange County, California
4. El Camino Health Emergency Department Mountain View – Mountain View, California
5. Kaiser Permanente Emergency Department Sacramento Medical Center – Sacramento, California
6. Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center Emergency Department – Roseville, California
7. Marc and Laura Andreessen Adult Emergency Department at Stanford Health Care – Palo Alto, California
8. Marc and Laura Andreessen Pediatric Emergency Department at Stanford Health Care – Palo Alto, California
9. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital Emergency Department – Los Angeles, California
10. Palomar UC San Diego Health Escondido Emergency Department – Escondido, California
11. Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center Emergency Department – Pomona, California
12. Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Emergency Department – Santa Barbara, California
13. Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital Emergency Department – Solvang, California
14. Sharp Grossmont Hospital Emergency Department – La Mesa, California
15. Sharp Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – San Diego, California
16. Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento Emergency Department – Sacramento, California
17. Sutter Roseville Medical Center Emergency Department – Roseville, California
18. UCLA Santa Monica Nethercutt Emergency Department – Santa Monica, California
19. Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department, Anschutz Medical Campus – Aurora, Colorado
20. Southmoor Emergency Room & UC – Denver, Colorado
21. Vail Health Emergency Department – Vail, Colorado
22. Norwalk Hospital Emergency Department – Norwalk, Connecticut
23. Saint Mary's Hospital Emergency Department – Waterbury, Connecticut
24. MedStar Washington Hospital Center Trauma and Burn Emergency Resuscitation Department – Washington, D.C.
25. ChristianaCare Wilmington Hospital Emergency Department – Wilmington, Delaware
26. AdventHealth Dade City Emergency Department – Dade City, Florida
27. AdventHealth Lake Mary Emergency Department – Lake Mary, Florida
28. AdventHealth Winter Park Emergency Department – Winter Park, Florida
29. Adventist Health Ukiah Valley Emergency Department – Ukiah, Florida
30. Baptist Hospital of Miami Emergency Department – Miami, Florida
31. Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Emergency Department – Miami, Florida
32. Cape Coral Hospital Emergency Department – Cape Coral, Florida
33. Cleveland Clinic Weston Hospital Emergency Department – Weston, Florida
34. Muma Children's Hospital at TGH Pediatric Emergency Department – Tampa, Florida
35. Naples Comprehensive Health Baker Emergency Department – Naples, Florida
36. Naples Comprehensive Health Bonita Springs Freestanding Emergency Department – Bonita Springs, Florida
37. Nicklaus Children's Hospital Emergency Department – Miami, Florida
38. Arthur M. Blank Emergency Department – Atlanta, Georgia
39. Emory Johns Creek Hospital Emergency Department – Johns Creek, Georgia
40. Northeast Georgia Medical Center - Barrow Emergency Department – Winder, Georgia
41. Northeast Georgia Medical Center - Gainesville Emergency Department – Gainesville, Georgia
42. Piedmont Athens Regional Emergency Department – Athens, Georgia
43. Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center Emergency Department – LaGrange, Georgia
44. The Queen's Medical Center Emergency Department – Honolulu, Hawaii
45. Advocate Condell Medical Center Emergency Department – Libertyville, Illinois
46. Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Emergency Department – Barrington, Illinois
47. Advocate Sherman Hospital Emergency Department – Elgin, Illinois
48. Ascension Saint Alexius Medical Center Emergency Department – Hoffman Estates, Illinois
49. Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital Emergency Department – Winfield, Illinois
50. Northwestern Medicine Grayslake Freestanding Emergency Department – Grayslake, Illinois
51. Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital Emergency Department – Huntley, Illinois
52. Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital Emergency Department – DeKalb, Illinois
53. Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital - Emergency Medicine & Trauma Center – Indianapolis, Indiana
54. Centerpoint Health - Georgetown Emergency Department – Georgetown, Kentucky
55. St. Elizabeth Healthcare Fort Thomas Emergency Department – Fort Thomas, Kentucky
56. St. Elizabeth Healthcare Grant County Emergency Department – Williamstown, Kentucky
57. Emerson Health Emergency Department – Concord, Massachusetts
58. Regions Hospital Emergency Department – St. Paul, Minnesota
59. CHI Health Good Samaritan Emergency Department – Kearney, Nebraska
60. Children's Nebraska Emergency Department – Omaha, Nebraska
61. Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department – Lebanon, New Hampshire
62. Atlantic Health CentraState Medical Center Emergency Department – Freehold, New Jersey
63. Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center Emergency Services Union Campus – Union, New Jersey
64. Clara Maass Medical Center Emergency Department, RWJBarnabas Health – Belleville, New Jersey
65. Cooper University Health Care Camden Campus Emergency Department – Camden, New Jersey
66. Hackensack Meridian Health Old Bridge Medical Center Emergency Department – Old Bridge, New Jersey
67. Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center Emergency Department – Perth Amboy, New Jersey
68. Hackensack Meridian Southern Ocean Medical Center Emergency Department – Manahawkin, New Jersey
69. HMH Bayshore Medical Center, Dr. Robert H. Harris Emergency Care Center – Holmdel, New Jersey
70. HMH Palisades Medical Center Emergency Department – North Bergen, New Jersey
71. Inspira Medical Center Elmer Emergency Department – Elmer, New Jersey
72. Jersey Shore University Medical Center Main Emergency Department – Neptune, New Jersey
73. Jersey Shore University Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department –Neptune, New Jersey
74. Morristown Medical Center, Sameth Emergency Department – Morristown, New Jersey
75. Ocean University Medical Center Emergency Department – Brick, New Jersey
76. St. Joseph's Health University Medical Center Emergency Department – Paterson, New Jersey
77. St. Joseph's Health Wayne Medical Center Emergency Department – Wayne, New Jersey
78. The Valley Hospital Bolger Emergency Department – Paramus, New Jersey
79. Glen Cove Hospital Emergency Department – Glen Cove, New York
80. Long Island Jewish Valley Stream Emergency Department, Northwell – Valley Stream, New York
81. New York Presbyterian Westchester Hospital Emergency Department – Bronxville, New York
82. Northwell Health Mather Hospital Emergency Department – Port Jefferson, New York
83. Syosset Hospital Emergency Department – Syosset, New York
84. The Mount Sinai Hospital - Saul Family Emergency Department – New York, New York
85. White Plains Hospital Emergency Department – White Plains, New York
86. Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Adult Emergency Department – Charlotte, North Carolina
87. Onslow Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – Jacksonville, North Carolina
88. UNC Health Pardee Emergency Department – Hendersonville, North Carolina
89. Bethesda Arrow Springs Emergency Department - TriHealth – Lebanon, Ohio
90. Cleveland Clinic Main Campus Emergency Department – Cleveland, Ohio
91. Cleveland Clinic Marymount Hospital Emergency Department – Garfield Heights, Ohio
92. Cleveland Clinic Medina Hospital Emergency Department – Medina, Ohio
93. Good Samaritan Hospital, Western Ridge Emergency Department - TriHealth – Cincinnati, Ohio
94. McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital Emergency Department - TriHealth – Oxford, Ohio
95. Mercy Health - Fairfield Hospital Emergency Department – Fairfield, Ohio
96. MetroHealth Medical Center Brecksville Emergency Department – Brecksville, Ohio
97. MetroHealth Medical Center Cleveland Heights Emergency Department – Cleveland Heights, Ohio
98. MetroHealth Medical Center Main Campus Emergency Department – Cleveland, Ohio
99. MetroHealth Medical Center Parma Emergency Department – Parma, Ohio
100. The Christ Hospital - Liberty Township Emergency Department – Liberty Township, Ohio
101. The Christ Hospital Emergency Department – Cincinnati, Ohio
102. Jefferson Abington Hospital Emergency Trauma Center – Abington, Pennsylvania
103. Jefferson Torresdale Hospital Emergency Department – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
104. Mount Nittany Medical Center Emergency Department – State College, Pennsylvania
105. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital Emergency Department – Lancaster, Pennsylvania
106. The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania Emergency Department – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
107. UPMC Hamot Emergency Department – Erie, Pennsylvania
108. The Miriam Hospital Emergency Department – Providence, Rhode Island
109. Yale New Haven Westerly Hospital Emergency Department – Westerly, Rhode Island
110. Lexington Medical Center Emergency Department – West Columbia, South Carolina
111. MUSC Ashley River Tower Emergency Department – Charleston, South Carolina
112. Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital Emergency Department – Greenville, South Carolina
113. Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans' Hospital Emergency Department – San Antonio, Texas
114. Children's Medical Center Plano Emergency Department – Plano, Texas
115. CHRISTUS Children's Emergency Department – San Antonio, Texas
116. Memorial Hermann the Woodlands Medical Center Emergency Department – The Woodlands, Texas
117. Methodist Hospital Texsan Emergency Department – San Antonio, Texas
118. Methodist Midlothian Medical Center Emergency Department – Midlothian, Texas
119. UT Southwestern Medical Center - William P. Clements Jr. University Hospital Emergency Department – Dallas, Texas
120. Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU Emergency Department – Richmond, Virginia
121. Inova Fair Oaks Hospital Emergency Department – Fairfax, Virginia
122. Reston Hospital Center Emergency Department – Reston, Virginia
123. Froedtert Hospital Emergency Department – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
124. Mayo Clinic Health System - Eau Claire Emergency Department – Eau Claire, Wisconsin
125. Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Emergency Department – Cheyenne, Wyoming
126. Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Emergency Department – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

About the Emergency Nurses Association
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 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.org

ENA Media Contact:
Mike Tish
Communications Specialist
847.460.4102
[email protected]

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SOURCE Emergency Nurses Association