Jennilee H Bigl
May 2026
Jennilee H
Bigl
,
BSN
Surgical Specialty Clinic
White River Junction VA Medical Center
White River Junction
,
VT
United States
I think the thing that sets Jennilee apart from other nursing supervisors (and I've had 6 prior to her), is the fact that our problems are never just ours; they are team problems.
Jennilee is the reluctant leader of our Surgical Specialties Clinic. I use the word reluctant here, not in the sense that she leads only when she has to, but in the sense that being in a leadership position was never part of her agenda. Jennilee is the type of manager who truly leads by example, calmly and professionally continuing with her own patient load, as she quietly guides her team through the staffing challenges, clinic changes, and ever-shifting dynamics of multiple providers in limited spacing.
In addition to being our Nurse Manager, Jennilee is a wound care certified RN, she handles the in-patient wounds here in WRJ. Jennilee thrives in this area, always taking extra time to educate not just the patient, but any staff who have questions about the best way to treat/prevent wounds and/or pressure-related injuries. I think the thing that sets Jennilee apart from other nursing supervisors (and I've had 6 prior to her), is the fact that our problems are never just ours; they are team problems. Jennilee is there in the trenches with us, while we work through any unforeseen mishap.
An example of this, is how she takes the time every day after our Morning Huddle, and checks in with each of her staff members to see how they're doing, what their clinic flow is like, and if there are any issues that we anticipate, If a clinic is expecting a large influx of patients at the same time, or a problematic patient is coming in, Jennilee jumps right in, whether it's rooming patients or monitoring the clinic check ins, she jumps in without hesitation.
It is apparent in the way that she talks to her staff (non-condescending, on their level) that she cares for them and is truly committed to making the VA a place where everyone excels. She doesn't just check on her staff at the beginning of the day, and during the staff meetings, Jennilee has an open-door policy, welcoming staff into a space where they can feel seen and heard, without feeling judged for needing a moment.
In addition to all of these things, Jennilee goes out of her way to make baked goods for her staff on occasion, as an unexpected morale boost (it works). These seemingly small gestures make a huge difference in an environment where things are constantly changing, and unpredictability is the name of the game. We in Surgical Specialties think that Jennilee is truly an exceptional nurse manager, and I hope that you will see that too.
In addition to being our Nurse Manager, Jennilee is a wound care certified RN, she handles the in-patient wounds here in WRJ. Jennilee thrives in this area, always taking extra time to educate not just the patient, but any staff who have questions about the best way to treat/prevent wounds and/or pressure-related injuries. I think the thing that sets Jennilee apart from other nursing supervisors (and I've had 6 prior to her), is the fact that our problems are never just ours; they are team problems. Jennilee is there in the trenches with us, while we work through any unforeseen mishap.
An example of this, is how she takes the time every day after our Morning Huddle, and checks in with each of her staff members to see how they're doing, what their clinic flow is like, and if there are any issues that we anticipate, If a clinic is expecting a large influx of patients at the same time, or a problematic patient is coming in, Jennilee jumps right in, whether it's rooming patients or monitoring the clinic check ins, she jumps in without hesitation.
It is apparent in the way that she talks to her staff (non-condescending, on their level) that she cares for them and is truly committed to making the VA a place where everyone excels. She doesn't just check on her staff at the beginning of the day, and during the staff meetings, Jennilee has an open-door policy, welcoming staff into a space where they can feel seen and heard, without feeling judged for needing a moment.
In addition to all of these things, Jennilee goes out of her way to make baked goods for her staff on occasion, as an unexpected morale boost (it works). These seemingly small gestures make a huge difference in an environment where things are constantly changing, and unpredictability is the name of the game. We in Surgical Specialties think that Jennilee is truly an exceptional nurse manager, and I hope that you will see that too.