Sandy C. Leake, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
The University of Tennessee Medical Center
What advice would you give your younger self?
First, relationships are everything! Time spent developing and nurturing relationships is never wasted, and those will be the people who support and celebrate with you when things are good, and who lift you up (and even piece you back together if needed) when things are hard. I could never have been successful in my work (or my life) without so many amazing family members, friends, and colleagues. Second, never underestimate the difference you can make in someone's life by doing even the smallest of things... ones that make a person feel seen, heard, valued, and that you genuinely care about them.
Where is your favorite vacation spot?
Southwest Harbor, Maine, is my favorite place. The scenery is stunning, the people warm and welcoming, and the lobster incomparable. It is where I go to rest, relax, reset and restore my soul before returning to the demanding work we do as nurses.