Nursing Leader Devon Berry Shares Thoughts on Doughnuts and Nursing

Good living requires good food. And being a good leader means you need to pay lots of attention to the quality of doughnuts that you select. Devon Berry, PhD, RN, is an academic nursing leader who served most recently as the Executive Associate Dean at the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) in Portland Oregon. Berry is passionate about doughnuts and has taken great care to sample from the rich variety of doughnut shops available in Portland, Oregon. Most people associate doughnuts with policemen but Devon Berry, nursing professional, is taking it upon himself to single-handedly change that notion. He wants to see nurses become the new stereotypical consumers of doughnuts.

Berry has worked tirelessly to canvas as many doughnut shops in the city as possible. He is a fan of glazed doughnuts, chocolate coconut doughnuts, crullers, cinnamon twist doughnuts, old fashioned doughnuts, sour cream doughnuts, and apple fritters. While Berry does not mind occasionally consuming a filled doughnut, jelly or cream will do, he finds that they fill him too quickly limiting the variety he is able to take in on any one visit. Devon Berry is a prudent nurse who has served at the associate dean level and recognizes that restraint is necessary when paying attention to one’s health.

There is only one, perfect accompaniment to a doughnut - coffee. Berry states that there is no competition for the balance created between a cup of house coffee and a fresh doughnut. The complement of bitter to sweet, acidic to fatty, and slurped to chewed, is unparalleled in the world of breakfast foods. As a nurse leader, Devon Berry is committed to doing his part to bring the doughnut and nursing cultures together to create a lasting association in the mind of the public at large.

2020 - International Year of the Nurse and Midwife

An accomplished health care professional with a long history as a registered nurse, Devon Berry most recently served as executive associate nursing dean with the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU). Former nursing dean Devon Berry’s work at OHSU enabled the next generation of nurses to practice with proficiency and confidence.

Public support for nurses rose to new heights during the health challenges of 2020, making the World Health Organization’s declaration of 2020 as the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife particularly timely. Through this declaration, the World Health Organization strives to celebrate the outstanding contributions of nurses and midwives around the world. 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale.

Another goal of the International Year of the Nurse initiative is to draw attention to the massive health care risks related to nursing shortages. Unless governments and industry leaders enact prompt and drastic policy changes, the World Health Organization predicts a shortfall of nine million global nurses and midwives by the end of the decade.

Devon Berry, nursing leader, on organizational leadership

The world of social media has made every person, regardless of station in life, a publisher. Devon Berry, prior associate dean of nursing, has embraced this opportunity and posts regularly on social media platforms such as Linkedin, Instagram, Facebook, Medium, and his own blog site. As a professional in the world of nursing education, Devon often uses these platforms to share his thoughts on organizational life. As the previous Executive Associate Dean at the Oregon Health and Science University, Berry developed a background in operational, programmatic, and strategic leadership.

Sharing thoughts and observations on organizational leadership is a privilege for nurse Devon Berry. Berry’s short posts, videos, and longer articles are focused on nurturing success and satisfaction. Success and satisfaction, says Devon Berry, prior nursing associate dean, are two key elements needed for the people in an organization to thrive. Satisfaction is generally derived from a sense of meaning, purpose, or value in work and the workplace. Success is related to one’s ability to make progress and achieve goals. Because so much time is spent in working environments, Berry contends that being satisfied and successful at work can greatly impact quality of life.

Dr. Berry believes that if a leader wants to serve their organization well, they will focus on the satisfaction and success of the organization’s employees. If an organization is well-aligned to its mission and understands where its vision is leading it, Berry believes that successful and satisfied people will often be able to accomplish strategic objectives with very little direct oversight. Such an environment spins off many unearned benefits.