Nursing in the emergency department requires not only clinical expertise but also exceptional emotional well-being, self-awareness, and adaptability. This course is designed to help emergency department nurses understand and manage the emotional and psychological toll of working in a high-stakes, fast-paced environment.

Through this learning activity, nurses will explore emotional intelligence as a critical skill for managing workplace stress, improving communication, and fostering healthier team dynamics. The course also introduces the Stress Continuum Model, a practical tool that helps individuals assess and monitor their own stress levels — from a healthy baseline to stages of stress injury and burnout. Nurses will learn to identify the early warning signs of burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma in themselves and their peers. Evidence-based coping strategies and stress management techniques will be presented to help nurses maintain their well-being both on and off the clock.

Author: Zankhana Desai, MSN, RN, CPEN

Disclosure: The planners and presenters of this course have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. Learners will be awarded 0.5 CNE contact hours upon a complete review of the course, completion of the post exam and submitting an evaluation. Course expires 5/31/2028.

The Emergency Nurses Association is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. Provider Unit #P0232.