Guest Editorial

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South Africa is a country of unenviable violence and injury statistics, with large numbers of clients seeking treatment for mild, moderate and severe injuries, as well as having the added burden of infectious diseases, most notably HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Working in the South African emergency department is highly stressful for the emergency staff. Added to this, there is a lack of role clarification and scope of practice for the emergency nurses in South Africa, and as yet there is no clearly defined advanced nurse practitioner role. There are also very few institutions throughout the country offering emergency nursing training, and thus very few trained emergency nurses in the country.

This year however promises to be an exciting one for emergency nurses in South Africa. In November 2009 one of the first ever emergency nurses organization of its kind in the country, the Emergency Nurses Society of South Africa (ENSSA), was formed. This society was established during the 2nd Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa “Emergency Medicine in the Developing World” conference, held in Cape Town, South Africa in November 2009. The formation of this new society was made possible due to the efforts of a group of dedicated emergency nurses in South Africa, as well as the considerable support of various emergency physicians and the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa, under the guidance of Professor Lee Wallis. The first formal emergency medicine structures were developed in the late 1990s, driven by the success of the Trauma Society of South Africa as well as a group of interested and motivated physicians, who then formed the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa (EMSSA). This society then applied for and received affiliate membership with the International Federation for Emergency Medicine in 2001 and in 2004 full member status was granted. October 2007 saw the inaugural conference of the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa held in Cape Town, with 650 delegates attending from 42 countries.

EMSSA is the largest Emergency Medicine Society on the continent, reflecting the well progressed development of the speciality in this country. Several other countries in Africa now have or are well on their way towards having, emergency medicine training programmes and societies. As a means of strengthening this development, and widening support and coordination for all of those involved in emergency care provision throughout Africa, on 26 November 2009 the African Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM), dedicated to “Supporting Emergency Care Across Africa”, was formed. The AFEM will act as a formative, “umbrella” organization for all the existing and future African National Emergency Medicine Societies. AFEM is also proud to announce that they will accept as full members or member societies other health professionals and health professional societies, including emergency nursing, EMT’s and paramedics, in recognition of the multi-lateral, multi-disciplinary, multi-professional nature of emergency medicine and acute care.

ENSSA has been established as a separate organization under the auspices of EMSSA, and it will strive to promote the advancement of emergency nursing in South Africa through leadership, education, collaboration, practice development and research. The newly elected ENSSA Executive Committee consists of six nurses from all over South Africa who will be responsible for the development of this society over the next 2years.

The most important aspect of these new developments within emergency nursing in South Africa is the collaborative spirit between the emergency nurses and physicians which has made this all possible. Such collaboration is essential to continue and improve emergency care in South Africa and Africa. There are many challenges that need to be overcome within emergency care in South Africa but it is an exciting time to be involving in Emergency Nursing in South Africa.

ENSSA will accept as members any nurses (South African as well as international) who are involved in emergency care. Please access our website via the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa website at http://www.emssa.org.za to find additional details as well as information regarding how to join this exciting organization.