Tucked away among the factories and
architecturally nondescript office blocks are some of the best restaurants,
most exciting nightspots, and diverting cultural activities in all of New
England. Founded in 1638 by a group of wealthy Puritans from London, New Haven
became the seat of Yale University in 1716, the third oldest college in the
nation. www.yale.edu  For a city of its size, New Haven offers some
of the most interesting experiences in Connecticut.  For starters, there are 95 top Zagat-rated restaurants in New
Haven.  www.zagat.com   New Haven’s greatest culinary
claim to fame may be its pizza, called apizza (ah-BEETS in the local dialect). www.modernapizza.com   You can also check out Louis’ Lunch, where they
have been serving fast food since 1895 and are credited with inventing the
hamburger and steak sandwich.  www.louislunch.com

After dinner check out the city’s
numerous theaters and production houses, including the Yale Repertory Theatre. www.yalerep.org   New Haven also has a variety of museums, many
of them associated with Yale. The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript
Library features an original copy of the Gutenberg Bible. www.gutenberg-bible.com

New Haven is also the home port of a
life-size replica of the historical Freedom Schooner Amistad, which is open for tours at Long Wharf pier at certain times during the
summer.

Like music?  Check
out Toad’s Place or one of the many free music concerts, including the
annual  Jazz Festival.  www.toadsplace.com

New Haven – a true haven for progress, culture and community.

Imagine living in “Happy Valley”, the name given to State College, PA by the people who live there.  Others agree.  The magazine, Psychology Today, ranked the city as one of the least stressful places in the US.  Furthermore, Kiplinger Magazine rated the city as one of the 50 Smart Places to Live; while Sperling’s Best Places has ranked the city the No. 1 safest small city in America. 

Penn State fan?  Mount Nittany is a Penn State University landmark.  The athletic teams and the mascot of the school, the Nittany Lion, are named in honor of the mountain and its history.  According to Penn State folklore, Nit-A-Nee is the name of an Indian maiden whose lover, Lion’s Paw, was killed.  Nit-A-Nee enfolded him into her arms and carried his body back to the center of the Valley where she laid him in his grave and built a mound of honor over his strength.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nittany

Happy Valley has it all.  Enjoy a concert or show at the Bryce Jordan Center. www.statecollege.com/performances/  . Get outside and find your next great adventure – archery, camping, golf, boating, or skiing.  www.statecollege.com/outdooradventure/  Like music?  In the August issue of Rolling Stone Magazine, State College received honorable mention in best music scenes throughout the country. Bands formed in State College include The Imperial Orgy, Cootie Brown, and Katsu.  www.statecollege.com/music/

Downtown State College is a unique place to live, work, play and relax.  This people-centric community is one you won’t want to miss.  www.downtownstatecollege.com/

Welcome to Modesto, CA, where you can experience the feel of your hometown with the amenities and attractions of a big city.  With a start that was anything but modest, Modesto was one of the wildest towns of the central valley during the California Gold Rush.  It is also home to the Mother Lode, where you can still find some of the best-known historic mines of the gold-rush. It was a frontier boomtown, thriving with life and energy. Today, locals brag about the “Water, Wealth, Contentment and Health” that Modesto has to offer.  www.visitmodesto.com

Modesto is just a short drive to the ocean, mountains, and some of the nation’s most renowned parks. Take a day trip to San Francisco or Sacramento.  Visit Yosemite National Park where you can spend a day hiking, rock climbing, biking, horseback riding, golfing or rafting the rapids.  www.yosemitepark.com

Hungry?  Get a taste of Modesto at the Farmers Market where you can experience the flavors of the San Joaquin Valley, one of the greatest agricultural areas in our nation. During early spring  you will see the orchards in full bloom.  Harvest season is May through November.  www.modestocfm.com

To name a few activities, Modesto offers golf, many parks to picnic in, nearby river rafting, hiking, jet skiing, plenty of antique shops, and museums. www.hellomodesto.com

Grab your poodle skirt and hoola hoop and join the fun.  Modesto is the birthplace of George Lucas and the inspiration for his popular film American Graffiti. Throughout the month of June you will find everything from street fairs to classic car parades, concerts, and showings of American Graffiti in what the locals call Graffiti Summer. www.imdb.com/title/tt0069704 Additionally, Modesto is the location for more than 50 films and is considered the “picture perfect” location for films since it offers a wide variety of looks from the wide open plains to a modern big city. www.historicmodesto.com

You simply can’t go wrong in Modesto. Check it out!

Best,

Mary Ann

Leadership can be broadly defined as the process by which an individual influences other individuals in a group to accomplish key goals, while directing that group in ways that make it function more cohesively.

By this definition, leadership can exist independently of manager status. You don’t have to supervise or manage anyone to position yourself as a leader. Even staff nurses can begin to build a strong foundation for leadership.

Credibility is the foundation of leadership

People are most willing to follow a leader who is credible; for this reason, credibility has been called the foundation of leadership. At any level of your nursing career, you can begin to establish personal credibility by adopting the following behaviors:

Honor your commitments and don’t make commitments you can’t keep.
Take responsibility for your mistakes. Don’t fall into the bad habit of playing the blame game.
Be generous with compliments and praise whenever it’s deserved.
Become a good listener and express empathy for those around you.
Identify your personal values and communicate them to your colleagues and managers through your actions and words.
Learn to work productively in groups or teams.
Express enthusiasm for your assignments and optimism for the future.
Manage your time wisely. Learn to set priorities and to eliminate activities that waste your time.
Build a personal network. Networking allows you to develop social skills and gives you the opportunity to expand your knowledge.

Be proactive

At the staff nurse level, you can demonstrate leadership skills by being proactive, rather than living with the status quo. Some specific ways to do this include:

Patient assessments. As the front-line caregiver, you can keep a close eye not only on a patient’s vital signs, but on their mental state, level of pain, risk for falls, etc. Be ready to move forward with a nursing intervention, or to advocate for your patient by speaking to others in the care team.
Effective communication. Always speak up when you notice something that doesn’t seem quite right, even if it means questioning a physician or nursing manager. Be willing to share ideas that can enhance the quality of care in your unit.
Patient advocacy. You can advocate for your patient’s safety by following all protocols and reminding others to do so as well – whether it’s washing your hands or ensuring that minimum staffing ratios are being met.
Knowledge building. Be willing to do some extra research on a patient’s condition or a workflow process you feel could be improved on. Take courses or read widely about building leadership skills, and try to put these skills in practice every day. Seek out a mentor who can share knowledge with you.
Teamwork. Be willing to mentor less experienced nurses. Volunteer to serve on a committee. Step forward when you see something needs to be done.
By Catherine Garner, DrPH, MSN, MPA, RN, FAAN

Provost and Dean, Health Sciences and Nursing at American Sentinel University

Once considered part of the “Great American Desert,” Lincoln, NE is a flourishing oasis for business and culture. More than a million people visit Lincoln each year.  WHY?  For starters, there’s the large brick star at the intersection of 13th and O Streets.  Legend has it that this is the exact spot where the American West begins.

Discover opportunities for adventure.  Check out the parks, museums, restaurants, bars, specialty shops and art galleries.  A world-class collection of aerospace artifacts awaits you at the Strategic Air and Space Museum.  http://www.strategicairandspace.com/ Check out the Lee G Simmons Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari where you can drive, hike and explore! Hike to Wolf Canyon or around Moose Lake. Bring your camera and get ready to photograph elk, bison, wolves and waterfowl – just like Lewis and Clark!,  www.omahazoo.com

Free Land!!  Free Land!!  was the cry… Visit the Homestead National Monument that commemorates the Homestead Act and its impact on the United States. The Homestead Heritage Center offers an award winning film that looks at homesteader life. When you’re done there, check out the Palmer-Epard Cabin, an original homesteader’s cabin furnished with pioneer artifacts. There is also an educational center and Freeman School, a one-room prairie schoolhouse. www.nps.gov/home

All aboard!!!  You definitely don’t want to miss the Fremont Dinner Train.  The refurbished dining cars offer an 18-mile round trip experience, mixing a three-or five-course dinner. Additional entertainment includes murder mystery dinner theaters, melodramas, wine tastings and World War II USO shows. www.dinnertrain.net

What are you waiting for?  For more information, check out www.lincoln.org or http://www.comevisitlincolnne.com/

All the best!

Mary Ann