Toward a common language: Emergency Nursing Uniform Data Set (ENUDS)

The conversion from handwritten to electronic records is an opportune time to strive toward standardization of the data we collect. Emergency nurses must actively lobby hospital administrators to convert from paper-and-pencil documentation to a computerized patient record. To improve clinical care and the health care delivery system, we must have the ability to electronically analyzed large sets of data to evaluate old and new practices to determine the best practices and delivery systems. If emergency nursing data are to be included and accurately represented, our first steps are to reach consensus on the elements and definitions of an ENUDS, and to voluntarily incorporate collection and reporting of these data elements into our practice. These steps are necessary to ensure the future of ED nursing practice.