In Their Words

Born from a collaboration among ETSU, Ballad Health, the ETSU Research Corporation StoryCollab, and the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, the Nurse Narratives Initiative spotlights profound stories of resilience and strength in the face of adversity – both personal and professional – from nurses in our region.

In the face of unprecedented and historic labor shortages, the pressure on nursing has never been greater throughout America. The initiative aims to motivate an entirely new generation of nurses and help current nurses by giving them a platform to acknowledge the burnout and stress they’ve experienced as America confronts the shortages.

“I think it is important that nurses acknowledge and embrace vulnerability in our work. It connects us emotionally and spiritually to our patients. Participating in the Nurse Narratives workshop has demonstrated to me personally the power of reflection in healing and accepting myself.”
Dr. Karen Carver, an Assistant Professor in the College of Nursing

The initiative also includes an educational component that will provide nurses and nursing students at Ballad Health, ETSU, and other regional nursing programs with tools that emphasize the importance of empathy and communication along with critical clinical skills to lead to a successful nursing career. Curricula will be developed and integrated into existing courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels at the ETSU College of Nursing. It will feature interactive learning techniques, student-guided learning, peer-to-peer learning, personal reflection, and other components. 

Watch the Nurse Narratives Initiative stories

By Jonathan Roberts