Jo is the perfect example of the type of nurse leader you would want. I have worked for Jo for many years, first as a staff nurse and now as a manager. Personally, she has been incredibly instrumental in my professional growth. She has supported me through difficult personal issues by always providing a safe space to talk, always making sure I knew I had an ally.

She is the reason I am on my professional trajectory. She always saw the potential in me and continued to give me opportunities to grow and expand my skills. She has encouraged and supported my going to graduate school for both my MBA and my DNP. She mentors and guides me through difficult management concerns by giving me multiple perspectives and talking through potential outcomes.

She does not micromanage; I always feel like my decisions are mine to make and that I will be supported for them, even if they do not turn out as I had hoped. She gives me critical feedback on my performance in a kind and factual manner, coaching and mentoring through considering different ways I can be a good leader to my staff. As much as she has done for me, she offers the same level of support for all her other staff. She advocates for them to have learning opportunities through classes and cross-training.

She creates an environment of emotional safety that promotes positive change. For example, the OR staff completed an OR Preparation Standardization project. Operating Room setups were found to be nearly 100% variable and inefficient, creating frustration amongst staff when switching for lunches, breaks and shifts. By working with key stakeholders, standard operating procedures utilizing visual management were created and introduced. This decreased variation to nearly zero and increased efficiency by nearly 50%. Her support of this project demonstrates her commitment to exemplary, evidence-based practice and her ability to create an environment where staff feel they are respected. This project was a 2021 VHA Shark Tank Competition winner.

Jo is the first to say “family comes first” when people are having a personal crisis and she backs these words with action, thinking out of the box to give people the opportunity to balance work and home life. She expects her managers to do the same, believing that employees who are happy at home are more productive and provide the safest care. She seeks opportunities to allow others to shine.

She does more than her title indicates. She is the VISN 9 Lead Surgical Nurse, in addition to her role as Chief Nurse of Surgery here in Lexington. She has extensive Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) experience; she has done “double duty” completing VASQIP responsibilities in addition to her regular job for multiple weeks when the VASQUIP coordinator was out of the office unexpectedly.

She works collaboratively with other services with the goal of always improving care. For example, she has been an active member and supporter of the PRIMED pre-op process between the Medicine and Surgery services. This PRIMED process aims to improve patient’s pre-op workup to address any potential health problems (particularly in our frail population) prior to an operation, ensuring that our veterans receive the best care when they need it. This process will improve patient outcomes in the short and long term.

Jo is an asset to our facility. I am thankful she is my supervisor. She is the example of servant leadership our facility leaders should strive to emulate.