Belmont University School of Nursing hosted a statewide meeting of nurse leaders this week determined to learn more about Tennessee’s existing nursing workforce needs and to predict and plan for future needs.  “This is important work. Since budget cuts eliminated the Tennessee Center for Nursing in 2010, comprehensive workforce data have been scant,” said Dr. Cathy Taylor, Dean of the Gordon E. Inman College of Health Sciences and Nursing. Noting the importance of robust data to be used to improve health and provide better care for all Tennesseans, the Nursing Workforce Analysis Conference was sponsored by East Tennessee State University and brought together nurse educators, practitioners, and researchers from the public and private sector, and government and non-government agencies from throughout the state.   Dr. Linda Flynn, Professor & Associate Dean for Academic Programs at the University of Colorado, was the featured speaker for the event.  Dr. Taylor and Dr. Martha Buckner, Associate Dean in the School of Nursing, represented Belmont at the meeting.  Pictured from left to right are Dr. Buckner, Dr. Wendy Nehring, Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing at ETSU, Dr. Flynn and Dr. Taylor.