Voices from the Nursing Frontline

TCNA

Welcome to the Voices from the Nursing Frontline, proudly sponsored by the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement. Join host, Lisa Beasley, as she shines a spotlight on the remarkable individuals who are shaping the future of nursing. In this new season, we’re diving deeper than ever into the heart of the nursing profession. From innovative practices and groundbreaking research to the real-life stories of resilience and dedication, we’re here to bring you the voices that matter most in the world of nursing. Each episode invites you to explore compelling stories and practical advice tailored to enhancing nurse well-being, optimizing recruitment and retention efforts, pioneering innovative teaching methodologies, and leveraging cutting-edge data and technology. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner, a nursing student, a healthcare leader or executive, or involved in academia, there’s something here for everyone. Get ready to embark on this exciting new season with us. Together, we’ll celebrate the heroes in scrubs and the advancements driving the future of care. Voices from the Nursing Frontline is sponsored by The Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, an innovative initiative uniting academic and clinical nursing, healthcare leadership, and governmental agencies to tackle the pressing challenges facing the nursing profession and healthcare industry for all nurses in the state of Tennessee. Tune in, subscribe, and embark on a journey of growth and empowerment with Voices from the Nursing Frontline! We would like to give a big thank you to the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band for our beautiful theme music!

  1. Jun 24

    Beyond the Research: Community Engaged Nursing Research in Action with Stephanie Hart

    In this episode of Voices from the Nursing Frontline, host Dr. Lisa Beasley welcomes Dr. Stephanie Hart, a community-engaged researcher and nurse practitioner at Virginia Commonwealth University. Dr. Hart discusses how her interdisciplinary background in exercise science, psychology, public health, and nursing has shaped her approach to addressing complex health challenges, particularly cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and stroke prevention. Drawing from both professional and personal experiences, Dr. Hart shares how her work in public health and clinical practice revealed the powerful impact of social, environmental, and structural factors on health outcomes. She emphasizes that improving health requires more than clinical interventions alone and highlights the importance of understanding the lived experiences of patients and communities. The conversation explores the value of community-engaged research, particularly in rural and underserved populations. Dr. Hart discusses successful initiatives that brought together community members, schools, local organizations, and public health professionals to improve access to healthy foods, promote physical activity, and strengthen community connections. She explains how qualitative and participatory research methods help uncover insights that traditional data alone may miss. Dr. Hart also reflects on the challenges and rewards of building long-term partnerships with communities, stressing the importance of trust, collaboration, and recognizing the expertise that comes from lived experience. Looking ahead, she shares her excitement about the growing role of nurse scientists in population health research and the continued development of community-engaged research practices that promote health equity. This episode offers valuable insights for nurses, researchers, and healthcare professionals interested in addressing health disparities, advancing cardiovascular health, and partnering with communities to create meaningful and lasting change.

    28 min
  2. Jun 10

    Prevention Starts Early: Nursing’s Role in Changing Lifelong Health Outcomes with Chris Owen

    In this episode of Voices From the Nursing Frontline, host Dr. Lisa Beasley speaks with Chris Owen, MS, ACNP, a nurse practitioner whose 34-year nursing career spans trauma and ICU care, vascular surgery, education design, prevention science, and legislative advocacy. Chris shares her professional journey from associate-degree nurse in a Level I trauma center to surgical ICU nurse, vascular nurse practitioner, and ultimately Director of Innovative Design and Simulation in the Education Division at the American College of Cardiology. In her current role, she helps shape education for more than 60,000 cardiovascular professionals across in-person, online, and simulation-based platforms—while continuing to practice clinically. The conversation explores the power of prevention across the lifespan, from child passenger safety and injury prevention to vascular disease, hypertension, and cardiovascular risk reduction. Chris emphasizes that atherosclerosis and chronic disease develop over decades, making early education, lifestyle changes, and community-level interventions critical to improving long-term outcomes. Dr. Beasley and Chris also discuss gaps in clinician education—particularly where nursing and advanced practice provider workflows differ from physician-centered models—and the importance of practical, bedside-relevant education that supports transitions of care from hospital to clinic and back again. The episode concludes with a powerful discussion on nursing advocacy. Chris reflects on her experience working with legislators, including helping write Maryland’s booster seat legislation, and encourages nurses to recognize their influence beyond direct patient care. Her message is clear: curiosity, courage, and persistence can open doors nurses may never have imagined—and those doors can lead to meaningful change for patients, families, and communities.

    35 min
  3. May 21

    Motivating Nurses Through Patient Care with Tiffany Street and host, Dr. Lisa Beasley

    In this conversation, Dr. Tiffany Street shares her journey through nursing, leadership, and clinical practice at Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute. She currently serves as the Associate Nursing Officer and continues to practice as an acute care nurse practitioner in vascular surgery, a specialty she has loved since 2005. She oversees clinical operations across 23 clinics in Tennessee, with additional locations in Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama, making her service line the first at Vanderbilt to operate in four states. Dr. Street talks about her unconventional path into nursing. She originally studied biology and chemistry with plans for medical school but discovered the nursing model through a nurse practitioner she worked with after graduation. She completed a bridge program at Vanderbilt, moved into cardiac surgery at the VA, and eventually shifted into vascular surgery, where she has spent most of her career. She later pursued leadership, which eventually led her back to Vanderbilt in a director role and then into executive nursing leadership. Her motivation for earning both her MSN and DNP grew out of wanting to serve, lead, and better understand the systems guiding patient care. A major theme she returns to is balance. With over 400 FTEs under her leadership, she emphasizes the importance of motivation, communication, and purpose. She believes strongly in starting with the “why” when leading change and in staying connected to frontline staff and patients. Continuing her own weekly clinical practice keeps her grounded and gives her credibility with the teams she leads. She notes the importance of reflection, feedback, and the role of informal leaders in shaping culture. Dr. Street also speaks passionately about advocacy and professional governance. Her involvement in organizations like the Society for Vascular Nursing and the Tennessee Nurses Association grew from realizing how deeply public policy affects nursing practice. She encourages nurses to get involved at any level—through professional organizations, unit councils, or grassroots advocacy—because their voices directly impact patient care and the future of the profession.

    43 min

About

Welcome to the Voices from the Nursing Frontline, proudly sponsored by the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement. Join host, Lisa Beasley, as she shines a spotlight on the remarkable individuals who are shaping the future of nursing. In this new season, we’re diving deeper than ever into the heart of the nursing profession. From innovative practices and groundbreaking research to the real-life stories of resilience and dedication, we’re here to bring you the voices that matter most in the world of nursing. Each episode invites you to explore compelling stories and practical advice tailored to enhancing nurse well-being, optimizing recruitment and retention efforts, pioneering innovative teaching methodologies, and leveraging cutting-edge data and technology. Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner, a nursing student, a healthcare leader or executive, or involved in academia, there’s something here for everyone. Get ready to embark on this exciting new season with us. Together, we’ll celebrate the heroes in scrubs and the advancements driving the future of care. Voices from the Nursing Frontline is sponsored by The Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, an innovative initiative uniting academic and clinical nursing, healthcare leadership, and governmental agencies to tackle the pressing challenges facing the nursing profession and healthcare industry for all nurses in the state of Tennessee. Tune in, subscribe, and embark on a journey of growth and empowerment with Voices from the Nursing Frontline! We would like to give a big thank you to the ETSU Bluegrass Pride Band for our beautiful theme music!