Local NYC Winter Break Fun

Winter Break is around the corner. You have been working hard studying for finals so treat yourself to some local fun in NYC!

If you’re not going abroad or going home for winter break - don't worry! There are still fun things to do right here in New York. Here are some suggestions:

Time Out New York is a great magazine for all things NYC. Check out their website and browse about everything from restaurants to arts and culture of NYC. Since it is winter break check out the holiday lights and decorations all over the city at these locations.

Ice Skating - Gather some friends and go ice skating at Central Park, Prospect Park or at Rockefeller Center. Learn more here. It is a fun activity to engage in with your friends all while you get some exercise!

NYU Ticket Central - Ticket Central offers winter specials for events around NYC! Check out their website here for information about their specials. They will also be open during winter break so don't miss out on some fun savings.

Student Resource Center – The Student Resource Center at NYU has a fantastic website with information about everything from online guides to NYC to information about theatre, dance, or movies. Check it out here.

Please note that university offices will be officially closed starting December 24, 2012 and will reopen on January 2, 2013.

Certain University Offices will be open during winter break. Please refer to the respective websites for more information:

SHC & Wellness Exchange - http://www.nyu.edu/shc/about/winterbreak.html
Registrar: http://www.nyu.edu/registrar/calendars/university-calendar.html
Bobst Library: http://library.nyu.edu/about/hours/fall.html
Financial Aid: http://www.nyu.edu/admissions/financial-aid-and-scholarships/financial-aid-at-nyu.html

You can also always just refer to nyu.edu for information on University wide office hours during winter break. Enjoy your break and Happy Holidays from the NYUCN Office of Academic Advising! The advising team will periodically check email  sent to nursingadvising@nyu.edu.

Study Spots around NYU & NYC!

In a loud and crowded city like NYC, it can be hard to find a nice spot to study for finals, especially among the crowded areas at NYU! Check out some suggestions below and don't forget to ask the Student Resource Center on campus for additional tips!

On Campus:

• There are available NYU Student Lounges, some of which are set aside for graduate students too!

• Elmer Holmes Bobst Library, which is located at 70 Washington Square South. You can study in open areas on the lower levels (open 24 hours) of the library or on various floors. You can also study in individual cubicles as well.

Near Campus:

•  Esperanto Café on MacDougal between 3rd and Bleecker. It has a cozy vibe with yummy paninis and it’s usually pretty quiet.

• McNally Jackson on Prince Street between Lafayette and Bowery has a nice café area and a great selection of books to browse

USA Today also has an excellent article on quiet places to study in NYC. Check it out here: USA Today's Study Spots!

Prefer to study with snacks? Check out our post from December 2011 highlighting locations on campus that are open late. Please don't hesitate to contact us if we can assist you during the finals crunch!

Good luck on finals!

Alumni Voices: Graduate Nursing

Curious about what our Alumni are up to? Now we will share their stories and advice! Check this blog often for updates as we feature stories from our Graduate alumni. Whether you're anxious about life after nursing school, what to expect in your professional career, wondering about careers in the nursing field or anything else, stay tuned for updates to this blog for loads of insight!

Kirstie's Voice: "Be relentless. Have courage. Be honest. Be open. Be humble. Challenges will come. Stay calm and have patience!"








Kirstie Toussaint, Graduate of the Nursing Administration program at NYUCurrent position: Clinical Transformation Manager, North Shore LIJ Lenox HillDescribe your current position in the field of nursing:  In my role I coordinate all of the Collaborative Care Councils and I also teach and re-enforce the principles of TeamSTEPPS. Collaborative Care Councils are similar to shared governance but interdisciplinary. The councils are unit, department, and discipline based. I attend the council meetings and, through dialogue, promote and support cultural change. Council members work on projects that improve patient experience, promote healthy workplaces, and improve efficiency as well as quality.

What is the most rewarding part of the position? In my role I work across all disciplines and departments. This gives me a very unique perspective and allows me to gain a better understanding of the work that takes places outside of the department of nursing. I also enjoy attending the council meetings. It provides many opportunities to discuss topics such as patient and family centered care, scope of practice, teamwork, and to broaden their horizons by helping them see the NSLIJ vision of a better future.  What advice would you give current students who are close to graduation in order to prepare for the workforce?  

• Never stop learning – read! Read journals, books, newspapers, anything you can get your hands on and in every field, not just nursing. If you come across something interesting, take notes and save them. 

• Keep your eyes open for and make a list of the people who inspire you. What draws you to them? How did they get where they are now? When you feel discouraged, pull your lists and notes out and read them. 

• Remind yourself of where you are headed. Never think you have the answers. Listen to others with your heart, your mind, your soul, and both ears. 

What, if anything, do you wish you had known before obtaining your current position? Nothing! I was well prepared for my role. First and foremost I knew that nothing in life would come easy, that I had to work hard for everything. I’m grateful for my experiences. I feel that my life has unfolded exactly the way it should.Final thoughts:  It’s hard to pinpoint one or two, but overall the need for true transformational leadership at all levels has never been clearer. When it exists and the council is successful, it’s a very good feeling. 

Stand out as a nursing professional!

Nursing Professional Organizations

Want to make yourself stand out as a nursing professional? Professional organizations can help you in your nursing career!

Why join a professional nursing organization? Because these organizations are a fantastic way to network with other nursing professionals in your specialty area, learn about new research in the field, appreciate the recognition that comes from being a member, and much more! You can join organizations such as the American Nurses Association or a specialty group such as the Emergency Nurses Association. Read about the possibilities below

There are hundreds of organizations! This is just a handful for you to begin thinking about. Try searching for more associations and organizations through a simple google search.



National Student Nurses Association

http://www.nsna.org/ 

American Nurses Association
http://www.nursingworld.org/

National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
http://www.nbna.org/

Latinos Aspiring To Imagine Nursing Opportunities
http://nursing.nyu.edu/latinos

American Academy of Nursing
http://www.aannet.org/

American Association of Critical Care Nurses

http://www.aacn.org/

Emergency Nurses Association

http://www.ena.org/Pages/default.aspx

Hurricane Sandy Support

Whether you’re seeking post-hurricane support or you want to help those affected by the storm, the NYUCN Office of Academic Advising and Learning Development is here to provide you with the information that you need about support services. Please check out the NYUCN Hurricane Sandy website for more detailed information about student support and resources.

We also encourage you to attend group support sessions to process your reactions to the hurricane. Please refer to this calendar for dates. 

Please don't hesitate to contact the Office of Academic Advising at nursingadvising@nyu.edu for more information!

Alumni Voices: Undergraduate

Curious about what our Alumni are up to? Now we will share their stories and advice! Check this blog often for updates as we feature stories from our undergraduate alumni. Whether you're anxious about life after nursing school, what to expect in your professional career, wondering about careers in the nursing field or anything else, stay tuned for updates to this blog for loads of insight.

Shaunan Reyes, B.S.'11, RN
Shaunan's Voice: "Remind yourself of why you took the oath as a nurse..."

What is your current position in the field of nursing? I am currently working as an RN on a telemetry/burn unit at Straub Clinic and Hospital in Honolulu, Hi.
What is the most rewarding part of your position? Being able to come home and fall asleep knowing that I spent my day saving lives is the biggest reward any person or professional can have. 
What advice would you give current students who are close to graduation in order to prepare for the workforce?  
Be humble! Nursing school is just the beginning. Being a nurse is very hard work and a HUGE responsibility. Be open to anything and everything and take advantage of every learning opportunity. 
What, if anything, do you wish you had known before obtaining your current position? I wish I knew just how rigorous and taxing being a nurse was going to be. Not just physically, but mentally as well. Losing patients is the worst. As humans we yearn for acknowledgement and reward. As nurses we want to know that our efforts are for a purpose. Being able to remind yourself of why you took the oath as a nurse and to focus on the ones you helped save and move on, is a career/lifelong battle.  

NYUCN Global: International Healthcare Research!

Professor Ann Kurth overseeing HIV/AIDS field testing in Kenya.

NYU, as the Global Network University, emphasizes the importance of global perspective through study programs, global internships, and international research opportunities. The College of Nursing is an active part of this mission! As an NYUCN student, we want to encourage you to get involved and learn more about what we are doing in the areas of global scholarship and community development. NYUCN Global, directed by Professor Ann Kurth, heads this effort.

Global research opportunities are within your reach! Adam Sirois from NYUCN Global has provided a brief overview of the projects currently being explored! Very interesting stuff.

Projects in Kenya: 

· Test and Linkage to Care

· Gender-Specific Combination HIV Prevention and HIV Health

· Reproductive Health Decisions and HIV Infection Risk

Projects in the United States:

· A Spanish-Language Intervention for HIV-Positives

· CARE Corrections, working with incarcerated populations

Projects in Uganda, Ghana, and Rwanda:

· Multicomponent Targeted HIV Prevention for Sub-Saharan Africa: A Prevention Prescription

· The Ghanaian Nurse Scholars and Leadership Program

· The Human Resources for Health (HRH) Program

For more information about the projects listed above, check out this document that provides further detail on NYUCN Global's projects: NYUCN Global Project Descriptions.

Looking to gain research experience? Interested in assisting with projects through NYUCN Global? Contact Adam Sirois directly at adamsirois@nyu.edu. Also, be sure to read the weekly newsletter distributed by Cindy Lundberg-Lewis in the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions for RA announcements!

Remember S for Nursing Success!!

As a nursing student in a rigorous program, we have no doubt that your goal is to be academically successful and land the job that you want after graduation!  Students are continuously seeking mentorship and often secret tips for success from top nursing leaders who they trust. These 5 Tips for Success from our very own NYU College of Nursing Dean Eileen Sullivan-Marx will definitely assist you!

Sleep

Getting the right amount of sleep is essential to good health and doing well in class, so make sleep a priority! Adults require an average of 7-8 hours of sleep a night – every night – but everyone is different. Some people need more sleep, while others need less. When you don’t get enough, your body keeps a tab of how much you owe! This cumulative lack of sleep impacts your alertness, mood, attention, and cognitive functions. The more you owe, the worse your performance will become. Establish a sleep schedule that works for you and stick to it!

Shine

What do you feel passionately about? What are you really good at? When you focus on those questions and pursue the answers, the rewards are limitless. Nurses are very fortunate in their ability to focus their careers where they find inspiration, which is why you find nurses engaged in such an incredible number of exciting areas. Dr. Emerson Ea was recently featured on this blog about his book, 201 Careers in Nursing. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to read that entry and think about where you want to go with your nursing degree. Find where your passion and profession intersect and you will find yourself ideally positioned to become a shining example of nurse leadership!

Study

There is no way around it – successful students study. Study, study, study! I cannot stress that enough. You are working to enter a field where a solid understanding of science, ethics, and sound judgment are critical. Balancing these elements to care for others is what Martha Rogers (who lead NYU Nursing for many years) called the art of nursing. Mastering this art demands continual study. Nursing science is ever-evolving, which means nurses are always learning new and better ways to deliver care. Establish good study habits now, don’t waste a moment of your time at NYUCN.

Search

Remember – your education doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Much of what you learn happens throughout the course of your time in this remarkable city. Make the most of where you are! Seek out opportunities that compliment what you learn in the classroom and that inform your understanding of nursing science and practice. From global opportunities to one-of-a-kind clinical sites, inspiration and opportunities to learn are all around you in NYC! So get out there!

Stay Connected

College is a busy time. Just tackling the other Ss can fill up your day! With so much to get done, it is important to remember that you are not alone! You have a support network of family, friends, fellow students, advisors, and professors who want you to succeed and who are there for you. Keep in touch with your network. Tell them how you are doing and reach out to them when you need encouragement or want to celebrate a success. Having good people rooting for you can make all the difference!

RN Central: Best Blogs for Nursing Students!

In today's modern world utilizing the internet, various forms of social media, and technological advancement are commonplace in almost every industry and facet of life. Coupled with this, blogging has become a great source of information sharing from one person to a larger audience. Why should this be any different for nurses and nursing students?  Nursing focused social media platforms and nursing blogs are a great way to stay informed, feel supported and inspired. And, clearly, we agree!RN Central has compiled a list of the 100 Best Blogs for Nursing Students! These blogs are "meant to inspire, motivate and educate nursing students in school and beyond." Some interesting (and informative) examples are highlighted below:

Personal Stories:  

• Nursing Student Diary
• Code Blog: Tales of a Nurse 

Professional Blogs:

• The National Nurse Blog 
•  National Nurses United

Travel Nursing

• Travel Nurse Aim
• Ask Conrad!

We encourage you to check them out! For a complete list of the 100 Best Blogs for Nursing Students, feel free to visit the RN Central article: 100 Best Blogs for Nursing Students.

Interesting Careers in Nursing!

As an aspiring or continuing nurse it makes sense to wonder what others in the field are doing. Additionally, it is always a good idea to be thinking of your next steps and what career advancement may look like for you. Dr. Emerson Ea, NYUCN Clinical Assistant Professor, and one of his colleagues have compiled 201 Careers in Nursing, to assist RNs in knowing the many options that exist for nursing professionals. 201 careers is quite a lot!

1.    Allergy/Immunology Nurse—an allergy/immunology nurses focuses on the care of patients with chronic allergic conditions.  These conditions include asthma, allergic rhinitis, urticaria, and atopic dermatitis. Duties include providing direct patient care and health education and in most cases, administrative responsibilities such as Allergy Office manager.

2.    Correctional Facility Nurse—the nurse who works in a correctional facility provides health care for all inmates. This includes case management, responding to episodes of acute illness, managing emergency calls, psychiatric evaluations, and assessment of new inmates. Types of patients are those with health problems related to chronic illness, AIDS, substance abuse, renal failure/dialysis, respiratory diseases, and terminal cancer.

3.    Cruise Ship/Resort Nurses—these nurses work on ships or at resorts to provide emergency and general care to passengers/vacationers, should it be required. These nurses also serve as part of the occupational health team for crew members who live on the ship for 6 to 8 months at a time, or for the staff at resorts. Responsibilities include providing patient care in the Health Center and dealing with on-site emergencies. This work offers flexibility! Assignments are 3- to 6-month contract positions, living and working with the same people, and meeting people from around the world.   

5 Tips for Making Your Nursing Resume Stand Out!

One of the most important documents you will ever submit to future employers, externships, and internships is your RESUME! Given that every applicant will be submitting one for consideration, you want to make sure that yours stands out. As an NYU student the Wasserman Center for Career Development is an excellent resource available to assist you in making sure your resume will land you the job you want. Can’t make it to campus to meet with a career counselor? Think you have a good resume but want to make it stand out?

Check out these Top Five Tips to having a great nursing resume:

1. Prioritize your clinical experience by placing Clinical Rotations and any Nursing Related Experience (Visiting Nurse Service for Community Nursing, Home Healthcare Aide, current RN, etc.) towards the beginning of the resume
2. Highlight academic achievements (including scholarships, Dean's List) and nursing licenses with dates (or date pending exam, if known)
3. List extracurricular activities, particularly those with leadership roles
4. Include a Volunteer or Additional Experience section if relevant
5. Include a Language section if you are bilingual/multilingual

If you have career related questions or would like to have your resume reviewed by a professional career advisor, head over to 133 E. 13^th Street (between 3^rd and 4^th Avenues)! 

Keeping checking in for the inside scoop on career development and best practices for the nursing job search!

These tips were provided by Cheryl Mazlen, Senior Assistant Director at The Wasserman Center for Career Development.

Want To Become Involved in NYU's Global Network University?

Do You Want to Learn About Healthcare Issues Abroad?  
NYU’s College of Nursing sponsors excellent global opportunities during the winter session. Accepted nursing students will be able to study in Buenos Aires, Argentina in January 2013 and enroll in Nursing Issues and Trends within the Health Care Delivery System, NURSE-GN 2041 taught by Dr. Madeline Naegle. Studying in Florence, Italy is another opportunity abroad for accepted nursing students in January 2013. The College will be offering Comparative Health Systems NURSE-UN 1003, taught by Dr. Gail Melkus and Dr. Victoria Vaughan Dickson. The application deadlines have been extended to Friday, September 28, 2012. Please contact Cindy Lundberg-Lewis, Student Affairs Officer at cjl8@nyu.edu for questions.

For the first time ever, NYU’s Office of Global Programs will be offering a semester designated specifically for traditional undergraduate nursing students in Buenos Aires in the second semester of the sophomore year. Students will have the opportunity to enroll in the Spanish for Health Care Professionals course, which is a two-credit course for beginner to intermediate level students, designed to expand speaking skills beyond the practical, day-to-day language functions in the medical environment. Students will also be able to participate in an public health related internship. Applications are due by October 15, 2012.

Want to become globally involved in New York City? 

Speaking Freely. There are plenty of ways to immerse in the cultural opportunities right on NYU’s Washington Square campus. Students, faculty and staff at NYU can learn a foreign language at no cost and for no credit without leaving the country or even the campus through NYU’s Speaking Freely program!  Don't forget to register!

International Houses. Students and faculty can learn more about diverse cultures by attending events, faculty research presentations, and conferences focused on different countries and regions at eight International Houses right on the Washington Square campus. Students are encouraged to get involved in one or more of the international houses. Check out the website more information about the events and opportunities for involvement.