Photo courtesy of Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (SBCH).
2026 Lantern Award recognizes excellence in emergency nursing
SANTA BARBARA — The emergency departments at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital (SBCH) and Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital (SYVCH) have received the 2026 Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) Lantern Award, recognizing their commitment to innovation, evidence -based practices and improvements that support patient care and staff well-being.
The Lantern Award honors emergency departments that foster collaboration and continuous improvement while maintaining high standards for patient care, safety and staff engagement. SBCH and SYVCH are among 126 emergency departments selected for the recognition this year.
“This recognition reflects the extraordinary skill, compassion and teamwork our emergency department staff bring to every patient, every day,” said Laura Canfield, Chief Nursing Officer at Cottage Health. “Their commitment to patients and to one another is reflected in the high-quality emergency care they provide every day.”
A key part of the emergency departments’ work has been creating a culture where frontline staff are empowered to identify opportunities for improvement, share ideas and help shape changes in how care is delivered. These staff-led efforts have helped improve the patient experience, strengthen staff engagement and make emergency care more efficient.
The award recipients will be featured in upcoming ENA publications, on the ENA website and during Emergency Nursing 2026, the association’s annual conference taking place Sept. 28 through Oct. 1 in Phoenix.
Cottage Health provides 24/7 emergency care at hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley. All three emergency departments are staffed by the same group of board-certified emergency physicians and have been reaccredited as Geriatric Emergency Departments by the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital is also verified as a Level I Trauma Center for adults and a Level II Trauma Center for pediatric patients by the American College of Surgeons and the Santa Barbara County Emergency Medical Services Agency.
For more information on this year’s Lantern Award recipients, visit the Emergency Nurses Association website
About Cottage Health | CottageHealth.org
Cottage Health is a not-for-profit health system providing advanced medical care on California’s Central Coast. In the past year, its hospitals in Goleta, Santa Barbara and Santa Ynez Valley cared for 20,833 inpatient admissions, 93,281 emergency department visits and 1,971 newborn deliveries. With more than 700 physicians, including specialists typically found only at university medical centers, Cottage offers expert, comprehensive care. As a teaching institution, it trains physicians through residency programs in medical, surgical, pediatric and radiology specialties. Cottage Health is home to the Central Coast’s only Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center and an advanced comprehensive stroke center. Its specialty services include Cottage Children’s Medical Center, Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital, the Santa Barbara Neuroscience Institute, Cottage Heart & Vascular Center and Cottage Center for Orthopedics. Beyond its hospitals, Cottage expands care through primary and specialty clinics, urgent care centers and 24/7 provider access via Cottage Virtual Care.
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