Finding Balance This Fall: A Message to Tennessee Nurses
Fall in Tennessee is a season of change, cooler mornings, colorful hillsides, and the return of football Fridays. But for nurses, it’s also the start of one of the busiest times of the year. Flu season, respiratory illnesses, and the steady demands of patient care often leave little room to catch our breath.
That’s why fall is a perfect reminder to pause, even for a moment, and find balance. Nurses across our state have shared simple ways they recharge this time of year:
Take it outside. A short walk during your lunch break, or even stepping out to watch the leaves change colors, can calm your mind between shifts.
Sip and savor. Warm drinks like cider or tea are more than cozy, they’re a small act of self-care that tells your body to slow down.
Celebrate together. Many units decorate pumpkins, share fall recipes, or wear festive scrubs. These traditions aren’t just fun, they build community and lighten the long days. This fall, know that your dedication doesn’t go unnoticed. You are the reason Tennessee communities stay strong through every season. As the air cools and the pace quickens, may you find moments of warmth and gratitude for the work you do every day. From all of us at the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement: Thank you for being the heart of healthcare in our state.
Celebrating Tennessee’s Nurses – October Nurse of the Month
At the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, we are honored to highlight the exceptional work of nurses across our state through the Nurse of the Month program. Each month, we recognize nurses who embody compassion, clinical expertise, and leadership, making a meaningful difference in the lives of their patients, their colleagues, and their communities.
We’re proud to share that this recognition is now amplified in partnership with trusted media outlets across Tennessee:
📍 Nashville – WKRN News 2
📍 Knoxville – WATE 6 On Your Side
📍 Memphis – WREG News Channel 3
📍 Tri-Cities – WJHL-TV
📍 (Chattanooga – coming soon via WRCB Local 3 News)
🩺 Honoring Our October Nurses of the Month
We’re thrilled to introduce four incredible nurses who were named October Nurses of the Month, each representing the very best of the profession:
- Nashville: Stephanie Yeargin – Vanderbilt University Medical Center
➡ [View the WKRN Segment] - Knoxville: Amy Thomas
➡ [View the WATE Segment] - Memphis: Janet Powell
➡ [View the WREG Segment] - Tri-Cities: Miranda Ferguson – Ballad Health
➡ [View the WJHL Segment]
These nurses lead with heart, support their peers, and deliver care with unwavering dedication, truly representing the spirit of nursing in Tennessee.
💙 Know a Nurse Who Inspires You?
Help us shine a light on the outstanding nurses in your community. If you know someone who consistently goes the extra mile, we invite you to submit a nomination.
Together, we can continue to uplift the stories of nurses who are transforming healthcare—one patient, one team, and one community at a time.
New Resource: TCNA Now Hosts the Tennessee Deans & Directors Website
We are excited to share that the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement is now the official home of the Tennessee Deans & Directors (D&D) website. This partnership brings together two powerful resources under one roof, making it easier than ever for nurses, educators, and students to find the information they need to advance nursing in our state.
What This Means for You
By hosting the Tennessee Deans & Directors site, our website now offers:
One-stop access to nursing education resources, information on Tennessee’s nursing programs, faculty development, and academic partnerships.
Updates on nursing education policy and practice, keep track of statewide initiatives that shape the way nurses are prepared for the workforce.
Shared event listings and announcements, conferences, webinars, and statewide meetings now live in one place.
Stronger pipeline connections – high school, college, and workforce resources linked together to better support future and current nurses.
Why It Matters
The Deans & Directors group plays a vital role in preparing the next generation of Tennessee nurses. By combining forces on one platform, we’re creating a clearer picture of the nursing workforce, from classroom to bedside. This integration also ensures nurses, students, and faculty have access to consistent, updated information about opportunities across the state.
Where to Find It
Visit us at tcfna.org to explore the Tennessee Deans & Directors resources alongside TCNA’s statewide workforce dashboards, Nurse of the Month features, Vitals & Voices storytelling project, and more. Together, these resources make our website a central hub for nursing advancement, whether you’re a student preparing for licensure, a frontline nurse considering a faculty role, or an educator shaping the workforce of tomorrow.
Resources & Opportunities: Free Webinar Series for Tennessee Nurses
Your growth matters as much as your care for others. That’s why the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement is proud to offer free statewide webinars designed to support nurses at every stage of their career. Whether you’re looking to sharpen clinical skills, strengthen leadership, or simply earn continuing education credits, these sessions are built with you in mind.
🌟 What You’ll Gain
Practical knowledge you can apply immediately at the bedside or in your classroom CEUs at no cost for many sessions Expert speakers from across Tennessee and beyond Flexible access, join live or catch the recording later if you can’t attend in real time
🗓️ Coming Up This Fall
The Heart of Care: Empathy in Nursing Practice & Education
Speaker: Allison Myers with StoryCollab
Date: October 24, 2025 12-1 EST
Dosage Calculations Made Simple
Speaker: Nurse Jill
Date: November 6, 2025 12-1 EST
Stay Safe: Active Shooter Responses in Hospitals
Speaker: Thomas Cooper
Date: November 18, 2025 12-1 EST
Beyond the Evidence: The True Impact of Sexual Assault Exams
Speaker: Drs. Lisa Beasley & Andrea Sebastian
Date: December 9, 2025 10-11 EST
👉 Reserve your spot now at tcfna.org and share with colleagues. These webinars are open to all nurses and nursing students across Tennessee, because investing in your learning is an investment in our state’s health.
The Center Joins Nurses at the 2025 TNA Conference in Memphis
The Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement was proud to attend the Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA) Annual Conference in Memphis, held October 2–3, 2025. This event brought together nurses, educators, students, and leaders from across the state to share ideas, celebrate accomplishments, and strengthen the nursing profession.
Throughout the conference, the Center connected with frontline nurses, faculty, and partners to share updates on our statewide initiatives, including:
Nurse of the Month – celebrating and uplifting frontline nurses across Tennessee.
Vitals & Voices Storytelling – elevating nursing stories and experiences from Memphis to the Tri-Cities.
Nurse Leader Fellowship & Clinical Faculty Training – preparing the next generation of nurse leaders and educators.
Workforce Data Dashboards – providing real-time insights on Tennessee’s nursing workforce to guide decision-making.
Our booth served as a hub for information, conversation, and collaboration. Many attendees stopped by to learn how the Center’s work supports nurse recognition, well-being, education, and workforce development across the state.
We are grateful for the opportunity to participate in this year’s TNA Conference and to engage directly with those who are shaping the future of nursing in Tennessee.
Vitals & Voices: Capturing the Heart of Tennessee Nursing
The Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement recently wrapped a powerful chapter of Vitals & Voices: Stories from TN Nurses, a growing statewide storytelling initiative that brings the voices of nurses to the forefront.
Formerly known as the Nurse Narratives Initiative, Vitals & Voices launched with a moving pilot event at Chattanooga State Community College, followed by sessions at Christian Brothers University in Memphis and Tennessee State University in Nashville. Over the course of several months, we’ve had the honor of recording the personal stories of more than 50 nurses across Tennessee.
From Knoxville to the Tri-Cities, each nurse who stepped in front of the microphone shared what drew them to the profession, the challenges and triumphs they’ve faced, and the wisdom they’d pass along to the next generation. These 20-minute interviews are now part of a living archive, one that aims to support workforce development, enhance public understanding, and amplify the lived experiences of those who provide care every day.
In October, the journey continued in Memphis at the Tennessee Nurses Association Annual Conference, where more inspiring voices were added to this collection. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who participated and made this experience so meaningful.
📸 Sharing Stories, Elevating Voices
The portraits captured during each Vitals & Voices session are now being featured in our annual report, on our website, and in statewide campaigns, including television spots promoting our Nurse of the Month program. These powerful images reflect the strength, resilience, and diversity of Tennessee’s nursing workforce.
🙏 Thank You
To every nurse and nursing student who has shared their story, thank you. Your words are shaping how the public sees the profession and inspiring future nurses to follow in your footsteps.
We’re just getting started. Stay tuned for more voices, more stories, and more opportunities to spotlight the impact of nurses across Tennessee.
Let’s make sure every nurse’s voice is heard.
