TCNA Launches Strategic Planning Initiative in Partnership with AdvanceAI
The Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement (TCNA) is beginning a new strategic planning initiative designed to help guide the future direction and growth of the organization.
As part of this effort, TCNA has partnered with AdvanceAI and has scheduled several working sessions with their team to support strategic planning, organizational assessment, and long-term vision development.
A key component of the process will be stakeholder engagement. TCNA has developed multiple surveys that will be distributed to partners, healthcare organizations, educators, nurses, and other stakeholders across the state. The feedback collected will help identify priorities, opportunities, challenges, and future areas of focus for the Center.
This collaborative process reflects TCNA’s commitment to ensuring that future initiatives remain responsive to the evolving needs of Tennessee’s nursing workforce and the communities it serves.
May Nurse of the Month Honorees
Across Tennessee, nurses continue to make a profound impact in their communities. This month, we are proud to recognize the following Nurse of the Month honorees.
Bethany Hogan – Chattanooga
Bethany Hogan is a Family Nurse Practitioner at the Hamilton County Health Department. She told Local 3 News that public health is her calling. Bethany works at several public health clinics across Hamilton County and focuses on reproductive wellness.
Watch Bethany’s full segment here
Betsy Christian – Nashville
Betsy started her career in nursing in acute care, but transitioned into home health care after seeing how many patients needed care in the comfort of their own homes.
Watch Betsy’s story here
*April NOM
Brandy Fann – Tri-Cities
Brandy Fann was inspired to become a nurse from an early age after losing her grandfather to a heart attack and has been caring for patients for the last 17 years. Brandy even inspired her mother to become a nurse after graduating.
Watch Brandy’s story here
Renee Moore – Knoxville
Renee Moore is a home health nurse, and told 6 News the best part of her job is knowing she is making a difference in someone’s daily life.
Watch Renee’s story here
Sophie Umbarger – Memphis
Sophie Umbarger is a Registered Nurse at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. She told Live at 9, “Nursing isn’t easy, but if you care about people and are willing to work hard, it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do.”
Watch Sophie’s full segment here
Help Shape the Future of Our Newsletter – Swag Bag Winner
Thank you to everyone who completed our newsletter feedback survey. Your responses provided valuable insight into the types of content you want to see most, including legislative and policy updates, workforce trends, professional development opportunities, practical resources, and nurse well-being content. We also heard that readers prefer concise, easy-to-read updates with links to learn more.
Congratulations to Kathy Merrick, winner of the TCNA Swag Bag!
TCNA Attends Sigma Theta Tau-Sigma Epsilon Chapter’s Annual Research Day
TCNA was proud to be well represented at the Sigma Theta Tau-Sigma Epsilon Chapter’s Annual Research Day in Abingdon, Virginia.
Dr. Jennifer Hitt delivered the keynote address, highlighting the importance of innovation and workforce-focused research and policy development in shaping the future of nursing. Dr. Kinser also presented on TCNA’s Leadership Fellowship, which underscores the impact of data-driven strategies on nursing practice.
It was a strong day of collaboration, scholarship, and advancing the profession through evidence-based work.
Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement Participates in Inaugural Virginia Nursing Workforce Center Summit
The Center was honored to participate in the inaugural Virginia Nursing Workforce Center Summit, an event that brought together nursing leaders, educators, workforce experts, and healthcare partners from across the region to discuss innovative solutions to today’s nursing workforce challenges.
Representing TCNA, Drs. Monaco Briggs and Jennifer Hitt presented “Digital Marketing as Workforce Infrastructure,” a session focused on how strategic digital engagement can strengthen the nursing pipeline, improve public perception of nursing careers, and support workforce recruitment and retention efforts. The presentation highlighted how digital storytelling, targeted outreach, social media strategy, video campaigns, and data-driven communication can serve as essential infrastructure in building and sustaining the future nursing workforce.
In addition to the presentation, Drs. Belinda Fleming, Kathleen Kinser, and Christie Manasco presented a poster focused on nurse leadership development. Their work highlighted the importance of preparing and supporting emerging nurse leaders through structured education, mentorship, and workforce development initiatives designed to strengthen healthcare systems and improve organizational resilience.
The summit also provided an opportunity to celebrate nurses making a meaningful impact in their communities. During a special recognition event, WJHL-TV and the Center’s Nurse of the Month program honored Elisha Hamilton (not in attendance) and Karen Combs, RN, Patient Navigator with Ballad Health Cancer Care. Karen was recognized for her dedication, compassion, and advocacy for patients navigating complex cancer care journeys.
Perhaps most importantly, the summit reinforced the growing collaboration between TCNA and the Virginia Nursing Workforce Center. While healthcare systems may operate within different states, workforce shortages, patient care demands, access challenges, and clinician well-being concerns do not recognize state lines. The issues facing nursing today are regional and national in scope, requiring collaboration, shared innovation, and collective problem-solving across organizations and borders.
As workforce challenges continue to evolve, partnerships like these create opportunities to exchange ideas, share successful strategies, and build stronger systems of support for nurses and patients alike. TCNA looks forward to continued collaboration with colleagues in Virginia and across the region as we work together to strengthen the nursing workforce and improve healthcare outcomes for the communities we serve.
TCNA Premieres NURSE: Empathy Heals at NC ASHRM Conference
The Center recently premiered NURSE: Empathy Heals at the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society for Health Care Risk Management (NC ASHRM) Conference, continuing its work to advance human-centered approaches to healthcare.
Dr. Monaco Briggs, Program Director at TCNA, and Cherie Davis, RN, of Ballad Health, and a featured nurse in the film, attended the screening, bringing both leadership and lived experience to the discussion.
The documentary is part of the Nurse Narratives Initiative, a collaboration among TCNA, Ballad Health, the East Tennessee State University College of Nursing, East Tennessee State University Research Corporation, and StoryCollab. Through digital storytelling, the initiative aims to cultivate empathy, strengthen resilience, and reconnect nurses with purpose.
The screening encouraged meaningful conversations around the emotional realities of nursing and the role empathy plays in communication, trust, patient safety, and workforce sustainability.
Organizations interested in hosting a private screening may contact TCNA at nursingadvancement@etsu.edu
Submit an Event
Does your organization have an upcoming nursing-related event to share? TCNA welcomes submissions for conferences, workshops, webinars, community events, and other nursing-focused activities.
Teresa Phillips, RN
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 P.M. EST.
11:00 A.M. – 12:00 P.M. CST.
Speaker: Teresa Phillips, RN
Topic: Helping Healers Heal: Understanding Tennessee’s Professional Assistance Program. Supporting healthcare professionals through recovery, resilience, and safe return-to-practice pathways.
All TCNA webinars are free to attend and open to nurses, nursing students, and healthcare professionals across Tennessee.
Sign up here
Don’t Miss Season 5 of Voices from the Nursing Frontline Podcast
As Season 5 of Voices from the Nursing Frontline comes to a close, we want to thank our listeners for another incredible season of conversations highlighting the voices, experiences, and leadership of nurses across the profession.
This season featured meaningful discussions on nursing leadership, workforce challenges, innovation, research, well-being, and the future of healthcare. Through powerful stories and expert insights, the podcast continues to elevate the nursing profession and spotlight the important work happening across Tennessee and beyond.
Throughout the summer, we will be taking a short break from new episodes while re-airing some of our most popular and impactful conversations from previous seasons. It’s a great opportunity to catch up on episodes you may have missed or revisit listener favorites.
Thank you for continuing to support Voices from the Nursing Frontline. We look forward to returning with new episodes and fresh conversations in Season 6.
Listen to season 5 here
