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Join us virtually on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. for a VNA member event.
Chapter breakout sessions will follow the program. Film Synopsis:
While people may think they know what nurses do, NURSE: Empathy Heals reveals the emotional challenges nurses face every day while caring for others. Through intimate personal stories of compassion, grief, resilience, hope, and healing, the documentary explores the profound impact of empathy—not only on patients, but on the nurses themselves. The film invites viewers to reflect on the human side of nursing and celebrates the compassion, courage, and connection at the heart of the profession.
The Nurse Narratives Initiative:
The Nurse Narratives Initiative (NNI) supports nursing education and healthcare professionals by elevating empathy, resilience, and connection across the nursing profession. At the heart of the initiative is the belief that listening to real stories from both caregivers and patients can transform healthcare culture and improve patient outcomes. Through digital storytelling workshops, reflection sessions, and curricular innovation, NNI creates spaces where nurses, students, faculty, and patients share lived experiences that foster empathy, reflective practice, and professional growth. NNI is an initiative of East Tennessee State University, including StoryCollab, the College of Nursing, the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement at ETSU, and the ETSU Research Corporation. The project was made possible through the generous support and partnership of Ballad Health. What to Expect:
NURSE: Empathy Heals is more than a documentary—it is an opportunity to pause, reflect, and reconnect with the humanity at the heart of nursing. Following the screening, Allison Myers will facilitate a reflective conversation exploring the emotional realities of nursing and how empathy, reflection, and human connection can strengthen resilience, support workplace well-being, and sustain compassionate care. There is no expectation to speak—participants are welcome to share their perspectives or simply listen, reflect, and connect with the stories and one another. 
Allison Myers, BA, MA Executive Director, StoryCollab | Lead, Nurse Narratives Initiative | Allison Myers designs and facilitates reflective learning experiences that use narrative to cultivate empathy, strengthen human connection, and inspire meaningful change. For more than 20 years, her work has spanned healthcare, public health, higher education, and community settings, where she has helped individuals and organizations transform lived experience into opportunities for reflection, learning, and action. Working alongside nurse educators, clinicians, and healthcare leaders, Allison explores how authentic nurse and patient stories, guided reflection, and deep listening can strengthen empathy, foster reflective practice, and build the connection, resilience, and well-being that support compassionate, relationship-centered care. Through the Nurse Narratives Initiative, she is helping shape innovative approaches to empathy education and professional identity formation in nursing. A graduate of Vanderbilt University (BA) and the University of Colorado (MA), Allison believes that empathy is not simply taught—it is cultivated through authentic human connection, reflection, and the stories we share.
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Learn More: - Watch the StoryCollab Trailer: Get a preview of the documentary. StoryCollab is a nonprofit organization that designs and facilitates narrative-based experiences that strengthen empathy, reflection, and human connection across healthcare, education, and community settings.
We look forward to having you join us! Please Note: The live session is available to both members and non-members. However, access to the on-demand recording is a benefit reserved for VNA members. Not a member yet? We'd love for you to join the VNA nursing community and take advantage of valuable member benefits, including access to on-demand educational content. Disclosure Statement: The Virginia Nurses Associations is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Participants can earn 1.75 contact hours by attending the webinar in its entirety and completing the online evaluation.
The expiration date for the recorded webinar is 9/16/27. __________________________________________________________________________________________If you have any questions about this event, or are a prelicensure nursing student looking to attend, please contact Membership Manager MJ Gearles at mgearles@virginianurses.org. Not a Member?
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