Uncategorized – Devon Berry

The Best Cooking Gear for Camping

Devon Berry is a nursing professional based in the Pacific Northwest. He recently received his MBA from Western Governors University and has held executive leadership roles at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing, Wright State University, and Cedarville University. Devon Berry likes to spend time outdoors with his family, which sometimes includes camping.

When preparing for camping meals, there are many factors like style of camping—by car, RV, and backpack—and personal interest—food minimalist or gourmet— that play into the type of gear that’s brought along. However, there are a few qualities that all cooking gear must have in order to be worth its weight for the trip, such as being portable, easy to clean, and simple to stow away. No matter if you’re tent camping solo, or rolling into a KOA campground with the family, these essentials will get the job done. Read on for some of the best cooking gear for camping:

Knives and Cutting Board

Unless you plan on chopping all your food ahead of time, bring a couple knives and a cutting board that is sized appropriately for the portions you’re making. Opt for knives that have a sheath and can cut a variety of items, from bread to meat and a cutting board that is light but sturdy.

Dishware

It’s good to leave a campsite as good or better than you found it, and one of the best ways to do that is to bring your own dishes to minimize trash. Enamelware is a camping favorite because it is lightweight and durable, but other materials like polypropylene function just as well. You can easily find sets for four or one.

Frying Pan

Though cast iron skillets aren’t lightweight, they may be a worthy exception to the rule as they can withstand an open flame, are naturally non-stick, and versatile. However, for those who are backpacking or otherwise can’t afford to bring something as heavy, there are great non-stick options with a folding handle that can be stored away for easy travel.

What to Know Before Kayaking For the First Time

Devon Berry is a healthcare professional specializing in higher education, most recently serving as the executive associate dean at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing. There he oversaw strategy implementation and provided senior leadership for the school’s six Advanced Practice Nurse Registration programs. Devon Berry lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family.

One of the great outdoor activities available in the Pacific Northwest is kayaking—you can do it with adults and kids, with breathtaking views of Mount Hood at Trillium Lake or right through downtown Portland on the Willamette River. For first timers, the sport can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never picked up a paddle or sat in a kayak. Consider signing up for a class or tour where equipment and instruction is provided. No matter what you choose, read on for what to know before kayaking for the first time.

Wear Clothes for the Water

No matter the weather—if it’s cold or hot—you want to first consider that you’ll be near water and will likely get wet, so avoid cotton and wear swimsuit bottoms or other moisture-wicking synthetic layers. Also bring sunglasses and sunscreen as the glare of the sun on the water can cause sunburn and limit visibility.

Practice Safety

Learn some of the basic hand signals and gestures that other kayakers use to communicate with each other, even from the shoreline. If you want to go down rapids, you should go with an experienced friend or instructor, and make sure to read up on safety tips beforehand, like the ones from Raft Masters.

Research the Location

Even if on a guided excursion, it’s good to look up the river or lake you’ll be kayaking on to get a feel for its layout and where you’ll be starting and stopping. Bring a physical map to keep with you in the kayak, since you’ll want your phone in a waterproof container or sealed bag.

3 Podcasts to Listen to While Working Out

Devon Berry, PhD, RN, is an experienced academic professional who recently spent four years as executive associate dean at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing. He received his MBA from Western Governors University and resides in Happy Valley, Oregon with his family. Devon Berry is currently training for the Portland marathon.

Training requires consistency, and when you’re six weeks into a workout routine and haven’t changed the songs on your playlist—it’s easy to get a little bored. Try switching it up with a mentally stimulating podcast that can help you get through long runs, pushups, and lunges with a laugh, learning lesson, or both. Here are three podcasts to listen to while working out:

New York Times Popcast

If your workout playlist consists mostly of top 40 pop music, this podcast hosted by New York Times pop music critic Jon Caramanica may be of interest for its insightful critiques of the current pop music landscape. Episodes cover a wide array of topics, some of which are deep dives on artist careers and genres, while others cover general themes appearing in the music industry today.

Boom/Bust

A narrative podcast documenting the rise and fall of companies and trends, the first season of this podcast hosted by reporter Alyssa Bereznak covers the rise and fall of the HQ Trivia app. Bereznak interviews employees, investors, and fans to conduct an intriguing investigation in manageable, 30-minute episodes.

Stuff You Should Know

For the generally curious, former editors Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant get to the bottom of a wide-range of topics, humorously tackling things like how sneezing works and the history of the mobile phone. Episodes last just short of an hour, and are released biweekly.

3 Unconventional Pantry Staples for a Well-Stocked Kitchen

Most recently serving as executive associate dean at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing, Devon Berry has over 20 years of experience as a nursing professional. He has also been on staff at Cedarville University, Wright State University, and University of Cincinnati. Devon Berry currently resides in Happy Valley, Oregon with his family.

When cooking for a family, it’s good to have a well-stocked kitchen with items in the pantry that can assist in whatever recipes you plan for—or don’t. The best pantry staples are versatile. They should be able to function at a moment’s notice in a variety of contexts—breakfast, lunch, or dinner. In a stew or stir-fry. While some that come to mind are obvious—olive oil, salt, and pepper—there are a few unconventional pantry staples that can enhance a variety of dishes.

Nutmilk Concentrate

Though not as easy to find in the grocery store, a shelf-stable nutmilk concentrate is versatile especially for those practicing minimal lactose or vegan lifestyles. You can put it in a blender with water for thirty seconds to make nutmilk, add to pancake batter for a nutty flavor, or as a protein-rich way to thicken up a tzatziki dip.

Tahini

Often found near nut butters at the grocery store, this sesame seed paste can be used in so many ways to add a savory, umami flavor to cookies, salad dressing, sauce, or as a spread on toast.

Canned Pumpkin

Apart from being a great pie filling come thanksgiving, canned pumpkin can be useful year-round. Use it as the main ingredient for a soup or to make a pasta alfredo sauce more creamy.

Essential Camera Equipment for Beginner Photographers

Devon Berry is a nursing professional residing in Happy Valley, Oregon with his family. Berry has recently received his MBA from Western Governors’ University and has held executive leadership positions at the University of Cincinnati, Wright State University, Cedarville University, and Oregon Health and Science University. One of his hobbies is photography.

Photography can be intimidating on the outset. Apart from the camera on your phone, getting versed in equipment including lenses, flashes, filters, and terms like ‘aspect ratio’ and ‘depth of field’ can make getting started overwhelming. Below is a list of essential equipment for beginner photographers.

DSLR Camera
While the smartphone has an easy and accessible camera, its limitations in modes and exposure make getting a DSLR worth it for the budding photographer. It produces top-quality images, allows for interchangeable lenses, and has room to grow if you choose to add more accessories.

Memory Card
How you plan to use your camera—whether for long vacations or short photo
sessions—will determine the memory card capacity you should go for. A 32 GB SD is a good for most scenarios, which can hold just over one-thousand 24 megapixel photos.

Spare Batteries and Chargers
There are few things worse than planning a shoot and having the camera die or run out of space mid-way through a session. Especially if you are somewhere remote, always be prepared with backup batteries and chargers.

Cleaning Kit
While a t-shirt or paper towel might do the trick in a pinch, they don’t ensure high-quality images and equipment longevity. Proper cleaning equipment like an air blower can remove sensor dust and lens cleaning wipes can get rid of dirt and fingerprints without leaving a residue.

Ways to Build Rest Into Your Work Week

With over 20 years of leadership experience, Devon Berry is well-versed in navigating the workplace. Berry most recently served as executive director at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon.

The balance between work and life is difficult for many professionals to manage, but with the onset of the pandemic causing many to work from home for the first time, it’s never been harder. Berry believes that rest is necessary for a healthy work-life balance. Like singing and running, everyone knows how to rest, but there are ways to improve that can impact your work and life for the better.

Stop While You’re Ahead

Try to take a break or stop working when you still feel like you have a little energy left. Working long, continuous hours has been linked to burnout, stress, and lost sleep. In fact, a study by Frontiers in Human Neuroscience found you’re likely to solve problems if you rest and let your subconscious work on it—the key is to have something you know you need to do next before stopping.

Take a Walk

Research by psychologists at Stanford University found that creativity was improved by those who took a walk —especially those who walked in nature. Those who walked in nature were more attentive when completing tasks than those in urban environments.

Build Your Day Around Your Energy

Rahaf Harfoush, a digital anthropologist, shared on a Ted Talk “How Burnout Makes Us Less Creative” that to combat her insomnia from overworking, she built her work around her energy levels. For instance, if you’re a morning person, front-load your hardest projects to the top of your day. Same goes if you have more resolve at the beginning of the week than at the end.

Nursing Leader, Devon Berry, on the Arts in Portland, OR

As a leader and a nurse, Devon Berry, RN, PhD, prior Executive Associate Dean at the OHSU School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon, believes that art is an important way to enrich life. This is especially true for nurses who have described their practice as being part art and part science. For the nurse, according to Dr. Berry, appreciating art can inform practice and alleviate some of the secondary suffering that healthcare providers often experience.

Fortunately, the city of Portland is rich with a large variety of engaging cultural opportunities. In Portland, you can find everything from monthly art walks, to live storytelling, to film festivals, to museums and exhibitions. The Portland Art Museum is a favorite of many locals. Complementing this large venue are many smaller art galleries with high quality exhibitions such as the Russo Lee Gallery and Nationale. The performing arts are also well represented in Portland. Several fine theatres, such as the Keller Auditorium and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall are regularly hosting top notch theatre companies such as Portland Center Stage and the Imago Theatre. Add to this a wealth of music scenes and venues, and the local or visitor can always find a way to get in touch with the restorative power of the arts.

As a nurse, Devon Berry notes that taking time to appreciate and engage the arts can be an important element of a healthcare provider’s self-care plan. As a leader, he believes that learning to find and celebrate beauty in the world is a key skill for strengthening organizational culture. Whether nurse, or executive leader, or both, Devon Berry recommends scheduling time to get out and enjoy the cultural expressions of your community. It is good for you, those you care for and work with, and for your local artists.

Devon Berry on Manual Activity

Devon Berry is a nurse, educator and leader who most recently served as the Executive Associate Dean for Oregon Health & Science University. He is also committed to helping those who work in academic nursing and other nursing environments grow in their health as leaders. Dr. Berry has found that the intentional engagement in manual activity can relax one’s mind, provide periods of exercise, and create practical benefit for others.

As an executive leader, Devon Berry, RN, PhD, regularly prioritizes mundane manual activity. These activities include tasks such as mowing the lawn, washing the dishes (by hand!), hand mopping the floors, weeding the garden, cleaning the garage, folding laundry, making the bed, cleaning windows, and hand-washing his children’s always dirty shoes. As a nurse and an organizational leader, Devon Berry recognizes that the brain benefits from breaks. When engaged in activity that keeps the hands and the body busy, his mind is helpfully distracted from the more cerebral work that many nursing leaders are continually preoccupied with.

Serving as a dean, director, manager, supervisor, or other nursing leader, says Devon Berry, can place great demands on the mind which may, at times, be unrelenting and hard to “turn off” at the end of the work day. Intentionally engaging in distracting activity that requires the mind to re-focus provides a much needed escape. Dr. Berry often finds that after these activities, he feels more at ease and answers that previously eluded him come more easily. Nursing leader Devon Berry believes it is important for nursing leaders to take care of themselves so that they can take care of others. Although manual activity can sometimes seem like a burden, redeeming the work as a healthy brain break can provide a source of refreshment for our minds.

Nurse Devon Berry on Preventing Burnout

Dr. Devon Berry is a nursing leader, educator, consultant, and organizationalist. Serving most recently as the Executive Associate Dean at the OHSU School of Nursing in Portland, OR, he is currently taking a mid-career “gap year” to pursue an MBA, establish a digital publishing footprint, reflect on career goals, and spend time with family. Nurse Devon Berry believes that taking time to step back from the intensity of professional life is key to stepping forward in professional success.

Devon Berry believes that too few professionals take time to step back and evaluate their professional journey to the detriment of their own quality of life. Dr. Berry shares that this may lead to a professional sense of burnout evidenced by personal dissatisfaction with job performance, lack of fulfillment or meaning in the job setting, and a negative outlook on one’s own job environment. As an organizational leader, prior associate dean, and nurse, Devon Berry believes that the best treatment is prevention. He has witnessed many colleagues who suffer, for years at times, due to the overwork and high-stress levels associated with academic life.

While many things can be done to promote burnout prevention in this setting, Dr. Devon Berry believes that a key role a leader must play is in creating a culture that normalizes the behavior of taking extended breaks from work. As good leaders will confirm, happy and rested employees are far more productive than unhappy and tired employees. In the world of academic nursing where the pressure of deadlines and production are never-ending, Nursing leader Devon Berry strives to create such environments by both encouraging and supporting time off for employees as well as setting the example of taking time off himself.

Nursing Leader Devon Berry on Sports in Family Life

Devon Berry, PhD, RN, is a nurse and a leader who has served in academic settings for over 10 years. Serving most recently as the executive associate dean at the OHSU School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon, he has also led as a Director, Executive Director, and Senior Consultant at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Earlier in his career, Dr. Berry functioned as both a nursing faculty member and nurse researcher at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, OH. As a nursing leader, maintaining balance in life is a priority. One of the main ways Devon Berry accomplishes this is by spending time with his family as a husband and father. For many families, this means being involved in organized sports.

Sports play can play a large role in family life. In the U.S. three out of every four families have at least one child involved in sports. Some sources indicate that more than 45 million children play sports in the U.S. Given sports’ prominence in American life, finding opportunities that are appealing to different families and different children is not difficult. At times, the greatest challenge is deciding which sports to be involved in and limiting the amount of time committed to sporting activities.

Involvement in sports leads to many secondary benefits beyond the fun of participation. Many children learn teamwork, self-discipline, confidence, perseverance, and tolerance for discomfort. In addition, families get to experience the camaraderie that can form among the many diverse families that are often drawn by sports. All of this can lead to rich family time that offsets the stresses of the workplace and keeps the leader balanced in their mindset when approaching their work.