I have the honor and privilege of knowing and working with Jenn Killmer for many years. We first met at Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in the Cardiac Cath lab, working together as registered nurses. She showed great leadership skills when she took on the role as one of our charge nurses. She led the teams and doctors throughout the day, triaging patients based on acuity and urgency, communicating with many members of the different interdisciplinary teams and running the day with the utmost efficiency. She has said that she enjoys problem solving which highlights her problem-solving skills in her strategic leadership style. 

Jenn worked full time while completing her Master's degree in Nurse Leadership. Continuing to gain leadership experience, she became our Clinical Coordinator at VCU, assisting the nurse manager with management of staff and resources to achieve a high level of standard for patient care. 

During our time together, Jenn took on an intense project of leading the Cath lab staff through the transition of new computer charting. A project that required a great deal of responsibility and care. The academic facility changed from Cerner-based computer charting to Epic. Most change is often met with resistance and fear. It took a great deal of patience, educational/teaching skills and creativity to set up all of her staff for success. Her guidance, constant motivation, provided learning opportunities and gradual introduction to the new system, gave our team the tools and support it needed to be successful. 

Jenn became the nurse manager of the Cardiac Cath Lab at the University of Virginia in 2023. I started as an Internal Traveler eight months afterwards. The opportunity to work with Jenn again was an opportunity I was not going to pass up. From fellow coworkers, Jenn was entering into an unstable lab and position that had been occupied by many traveling managers. I shadowed prior to my interview and was in awe of the team Jenn had assembled in just under a year. The respect, the teamwork, and the joy was palpable. I wanted to be a part of this team. The environment felt stable, nontoxic, and safe. 

During her time as the nurse manager, she has transformed a full staff that was predominantly travelers, to a full staff of full-time employees. Hiring 5-6 new hires and converting 6 travelers, including myself, to fulltime employees. She exhibits what one looks for in a leader: compassion and empathy. One example was a recent issue regarding holiday call. She listened to the issues, thought about the best way to gather data and came up with a survey. Everyone has the opportunity to use this tool to have their say and input their ideas. After gathering data, she will be able to take action, address the issues and implement a plan that is best for the unit and staff.

She sets standards and expectations for mutual respect, which empowers her employees to build positive relationships within the team. This a true testament to her exceptional leadership skills. 

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The Cardiac Catheterization Lab has had seven managers from January 9, 2021, to January 9, 2023. Jenn arrived to a lab that was divided, hostile, and inefficient. We had an interim manager from a sister unit who was experiencing health concerns and a travel cath manager acting in lead when Jenn was hired. Jenn on day one was walking around the lab speaking with staff with a notebook in hand taking notes on various aspects for improvements for our lab. She also reached out to our administrators to identify inefficiencies. The lack of structure, accountability, and professionalism were the first priorities on her list. 

To improve these values, she gathered us in a small conference room, sat us down, and asked, "What's working?" and "What's not working?" Our entire lab started raising their hands and offering objective feedback.  After this discussion, the lab felt like they had voiced some of the frustrations and concerns over the course of the last 2 years. Specific areas of improvement were identified, and Jenn created the four Cultural Competency Workgroups. Team members, depending on their personality strengths, were divided equally up into Patient Scheduling, Room Turnover, Staff Education, and Staff Orientation groups. These teams have worked together to develop strategic plans and implement changes to improve our work environment. These workgroups have been now meeting quarterly for one and a half years and have accomplished great strides. 

Educational Workgroup implementing monthly dinner lectures provided by our highly educated interventional cardiologists and pediatric physicians, debriefing tools for high-risk cases that went well or had a patient decompensate, and how to implement change. They encourage staff and provide resources for staff to become certified in RCIS and other related certifications. The Orientation Workgroup has created a syllabus for new permanent staff and travel staff for both Registered Nurses and Cardiovascular Technicians. Jenn has onboarded 48 staff since her inception in January of 2023 to give you perspective. We are fully staffed at 35 members, and our orientation process is a minimum of 16 weeks. We implemented a pre and post-orientation exam to gauge the success of the new structured orientation process. We established easily accessible educational resources while orienting located on every computer in an app called One Note. The Room Turnover Workgroup established a clear number of minutes goals for room turnovers in CORS, Structural, and Pediatric cases. Implemented encouraging staff to utilize the delay icons in Epic to track identifiable improvements between cases. The Patient Scheduling Workgroup is to improve the communication between multiple departments and to improve barriers to on time start delays. 

It takes a village to get a patient from a clinic visit set up to have their coronaries injected with contrast in the lab. Not only has Jenn drastically improved our camaraderie in the lab and our union. The Cath lab staff now each lunch at one table instead of separate tables. We share our downtime together as a unit instead of separate. We have been able to retain staff since Jenn started. Jenn started on the unit with 70% travel staff and 30% burnt out permanent staff. We now are 100% permanent staff which has not been accomplished since 2018. 

Jenn holds us all to a high standard of care. If she finds you are not acting to this standard, she professionally will have a discussion with you and develop a plan to improve your behavior. The Cath Lab has been recognized for rewards such as "Most Improved" and "UVA Health Patient Experience Award" Committed Compassionate Care" since Jenn started with us. Overall Jenn has transformed this lab into a great place to work.

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I am writing to express my enthusiastic support for Jennifer Killmer, MSN RN CCRN as a deserving candidate for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award, a recognition that truly embodies the spirit of excellence in nursing. I have worked with Jennifer in a previous Nurse Manager colleague role and now choosing to work for her directly in a clinical role in the Cath lab. I have witnessed firsthand the exceptional leadership qualities and unwavering dedication that she exhibits on a daily basis.

Throughout her employment at the University of Virginia, Jennifer has created a culture of compassion, collaboration, and professionalism among our nursing team. She leads by example, consistently demonstrating integrity and accountability in all aspects of her work. Through her mentorship and guidance, many team members have flourished, advancing their skills and confidence in providing exceptional patient care to cardiovascular patients. 
 
One of the most commendable qualities of Jennifer Killmer is her ability to inspire and empower others. She prioritizes staff engagement and fosters an environment where every team member feels valued. This inclusive approach has resulted in improved teamwork, higher morale, and decreased turnover rates. Jennifer's open-door policy ensures that staff can voice concerns and seek guidance, creating a supportive atmosphere that promotes both professional and personal growth.

Moreover, Jennifer consistently advocates for patient-centered care, ensuring that the needs and preferences of patients are at the forefront of our practice. Her commitment to education and training has led to a more knowledgeable nursing staff, which in turn leads to higher quality patient care, staff retention, as well as improved outcomes.

Jennifer is highly regarded by both patients and their families. She approaches each patient interaction with empathy and compassion, ensuring that care is tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual. I have personally witnessed Jennifer providing food vouchers to a patient's family that arrived early to the hospital for a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. This family member had been skipping their glucose medication as well as morning nourishment related to a personal financial need. Jennifer never hesitates to go above and beyond for our patients to provide medical care and to support the patient's total wellbeing. This commitment has made a profound impact on the patient experience and reinforces the principles of patient-centered care. 

Jennifer is a nurse manager who remains visible and accessible to all of her employees. She is seen daily participating in our 0700 morning huddles to discuss previous day outcomes, issues and concerns. She also reviews the current day's schedule with her nursing staff, Interventional Cardiologist (IC), IC Fellows, Nurse Practitioners and scheduling staff. Jennifer is a nurse manager that not only knows the managerial process well but can also perform the daily duties of a Cath lab nurse to care for patients if needed. When I decided to leave management and re-join the clinical nurse role, I searched for a manager that would not only support my clinical ability but one that would allow me to practice at the height of my clinical licensure. Jennifer is a nurse manager who never says "we cannot do that" but will express "how can we accomplish this to improve our cardiovascular center of excellence and how can I support you in reaching this goal". Jennifer is a nurse manager that I see moving up into the administrative pathway at a rapid rate. 
 
In conclusion, I wholeheartedly endorse Jennifer for the DAISY Award. Her exemplary leadership, dedication to nursing excellence, and commitment to fostering a positive work environment make her a deserving candidate for this honor. I truly believe that recognizing Jennifer with the DAISY Nurse Leader Award will not only celebrate her extraordinary contributions but will also inspire others within our organization to strive for excellence in their nursing practice. 
 
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I am nominating Jennifer Killmer, manager of the UVA Cardiac Cath lab, for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award. I came to UVA's Cath lab as an internal travel nurse last August. Working under Jenn's management for the duration of my travel contracts instilled a desire in me to take a full-time position in the lab. I was astounded that the majority of staff would actually attend staff meetings every month. Even more impressive was Jenn's organized PowerPoint showing data and statistics and topics that pertained to our lab and the individual efforts we all put forth. Jenn's previous experience working in the Cath lab as a nurse and her skills of problem solving alongside clear communication have made her an excellent manager for our lab and brought much-needed change. 

It is not an exaggeration to say that Jenn is the main reason I took a full-time position in UVA's Cath lab. What distinguishes Jenn from other managers is her ability to see the individual and meet their needs with kindness and fairness, while also seeking and maintaining the good of the lab as a whole. There have been many staff, myself included, who have had emergencies come up, and Jenn has always been willing to work with us, and she has done so with a posture of generosity and concern for our individual well-being. When I had to respond to a family emergency over a weekend, Jenn made sure I had the time off I needed and even took the time to check in on me over the next few days. 

When she is able, she makes the rounds through all the labs to check in on us, taking the time to ask how we're doing and genuinely showing interest in knowing us. She is quick to laugh and lighten the mood. She is simultaneously not afraid to have hard conversations. Jenn will communicate the truth even if it's difficult to hear and she does so in such a way that is respectful to the listener. Jenn invites feedback and is always striving to make the lab a better place to work. This can be seen in monthly staff meetings, her tedious work to make the schedule as fair as possible, her attentiveness to help the lab grow in efficiency, her reliable physical presence at the hospital, and her quickness to respond to emails and texts if she is not available in person. 

A recent example of how Jenn advocates for her staff was when we had a patient on hold in a procedure room because the recovery area was not available. She could have done nothing and just let us wait hours till something happened but she physically came down to the lab and walked over to the recovery area to assess the situation and come to a solution that would be best for all parties involved. Jenn has made me want to be a better nurse and push myself to grow in my professional life. She is the kind of person I want to work under for the long haul--someone who sets high standards for their staff, who will go to bat for their staff when necessary, and who seeks the good of each individual which in turn makes the whole lab flourish.

I have had the pleasure of working under several great managers over my career as a registered nurse. That said, Jennifer Killmer is a standout for three reasons in particular: her genuine interest in the development of her staff, her unique and effective leadership style, and her outstanding gift for recruiting.

I came to UVA as a traveler who had no interest in converting to a permanent position at the time. However, Jennifer made it a habit of taking time to both challenge and encourage me, and as a traveler I was caught off guard by that level of interest in my potential. She took time to press me on my reluctance to pursue the education necessary to develop me further as a registered nurse by helping me identify obstacles and work out solutions to them. She also helped me visualize growing out of my current role into roles with greater spheres of influence and professional reward. This was a major contributing factor to me extending my contract here at UVA three consecutive times and ultimately converting to a full-time employee.

The second is her dynamic leadership. She has a gift for being confrontational and bringing correction when needed without the need to distance herself from staff for emotional insulation. She seems to effortlessly flow from writing personal cards of appreciation and recognition for jobs done well to clear, unapologetic identification and calls for correction of behaviors or processes that are not done well. She does not struggle with the need to pad counsel with platitudes or equivocation in order to not communicate personal attack or condescension. Neither does she approach issues with personal fault as the first suspect but instead works collaboratively with staff to identify and resolve deficiencies in systems and processes. I have also been both witness and beneficiary of her willingness to go the extra mile to make this lab as flexible an environment as possible, allowing for greater work/life balance and accommodation for the unpredictability of the real lives of almost thirty people who comprise our staff.

The first two outstanding factors of Jennifer's leadership clearly feed the success of her third: recruiting. As mentioned, I traveled for some time before coming to UVA. I was approached by each hospital I worked about coming on as fulltime staff. For the previous two years I had not accepted an offer nor witnessed other travelers accept offers. As of this writing, I can name seven current staff members who like me, came here as travelers and have opted to stay. Unless I am mistaken, at least fifty percent of our staff drive from forty-five minutes to an hour and a half to work here. While it is a testament to the other benefits of working for UVA, those benefits alone would not provide the leverage required for that kind of response.

Jennifer is "all-in" regarding both the success of the Cardiac Catheterization Lab and UVA hospital as an institution, as well as the individual personal and professional growth of each and every staff member under her watch. Her personal attentiveness to her team, her outstanding leadership, and her effective recruiting will continue to fuel that success.

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I am pleased to nominate Jennifer Killmer, Nurse Manager of the Cardiac Cath Lab at the University of Virginia Health System, for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.  Jenn is not just a great boss but a wonderful leader.  Jenn is someone who has consistently had our backs since she arrived, both in and out of the lab setting.  She quickly showed her desire to help apply the changes the department needed to get us out of Critical Staffing levels while being staffed by 70% travelers.  Now, we find ourselves close to fully staffed.  While engaging with the staff, she promised to do her best to be both fair and transparent, which she has stuck to.  Despite her administrative managerial duties and managing a unit of about 40 employees, she still finds the time to have her door open to her staff for one-on-one interpersonal meetings.  

I wanted to give a recent clinical and professional event that depicts who Jenn is as a Leader.  I'll start with the clinical event. Recently, the charge nurse sent some of D lab staff to retrieve a patient for an emergency procedure.  We had an inpatient who was in tamponade and in need of an emergent pericardiocentesis.  The staff in the lab began to prepare for the emergent case.  Via a vocera call, those of us in the lab were informed of active CPR in the elevator enroute to the lab.  As the deteriorating patient arrived to the lab CPR continued.  The monitoring nurse sent out an activation for the Cath lab emergency activation. Jenn arrived to the lab and promptly went to the D lab control room to be an available resource. Within minutes we were in a full code situation with various departments arriving to give emergent aid.  During the code, staff noted Jenn assisting with answering questions, fielding phone calls, offering support to the nurse monitor in the control room, and managing traffic control.  Jenn's presence in the lab during this instance, and other such instances, have not gone unnoticed by her staff.  Jenn's presence in these moments offers both aid and confidence to her staff.  I have been at the UVA Cath lab going on 8 years, and I can attest to this exceptional quality.

As for the professional event, prior to Jenn arriving at UVA the Cath lab didn't have a technologist career ladder.  For 6 – 8 months prior, I had been working on trying to organize a work group and try to figure out this goal.  Once Jenn was up to speed in her role, she and I met to discuss the ladder.  A group of management and technologists from both Cath and EP began to meet and brainstorm the process of a career ladder for Interventional Cardiology.  Jenn set up the meetings, acted as a sounding board, and took notes of the progress.  Throughout these meetings our group of technologists were able to create a tiered clinical ladder for all of Invasive Cardiology.  During this process, Jenn was a driving force in advising, executing, and technical editing of the clinical ladder.  We also created a new job description and job title to accompany the new career ladder, known as a Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist.  As someone who has now climbed the ladder to level 3, I can attest to how much she put into the planning for it.  

It is without a doubt, that the Cardiovascular Cath Lab, at the University of Virginia Health System, has become a better place under her guidance and leadership.  As a whole, this department wouldn't be constructed as it is now without her having been here.  If this award is for recognizing compassion and skill as an impactful leader, then look no further than Jennifer Killmer.  

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I would like to nominate Jennifer Killmer, University of Virginia Cardiac Cath Lab Manager, for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.  I recently joined the UVA Cardiac Cath Lab from Centra Cardiac Cath Lab in Lynchburg, Virginia. During my short tenure here at UVA, I have been welcomed by all, and I have felt more than supported to throughout my orientation process and beyond.  Through her timely e-mail responses, open door policy, provisions for Cath lab specific educational resources, and her daily presence at morning huddles with the team, Jenn shows the team that she cares and she wants each of us to succeed.  

During my orientation, Jenn followed up with me each week to see what things were going well, what things might not be going so well, and to identify any needs that I might have.  Jenn is a very clear and effective communicator who is able to rally the staff and engage them to actively participate in processes on our unit.  She allows our team members to spearhead different projects throughout the lab through work groups that she created to encourage staff engagement.  She puts the needs of our patients at the forefront of everything that she does and works hard to instill those same values in her staff in order to achieve and maintain high-quality care and a safe environment for all.  Jenn encourages her staff to be actively involved in the unit, and she takes the time to recognize us all for our contributions to the team.  Her acts of kindness, such as thank you notes left in your locker, e-mails offering positive feedback, or small goodie bags from to time boost staff morale and promotes a positive working environment.  

In addition to recognizing all of the positives of our team and the work that we do, Jenn also makes it a priority to address any negative situations or patient outcomes where there may be room for performance improvements or learning opportunities.  She encourages open and respectful communication amongst the staff and the physicians, and she works to address any issues in a timely manner.  Moreover, Jenn keeps her team up to date on the latest evidenced based practices for our area and I've always felt as though she keeps us in the loop with changes in practices throughout the medical center as they come about.  

Having come from a management background myself, I have been very impressed with Jenn's leadership style.  Joining the UVA Cath Lab has been one of the best decisions that I have made, and I can tell you for sure that Jenn Killmer is the main reason that this Cath lab runs like a well-oiled machine.  I commute to work from the Lynchburg area 4 days a week, which some may say is crazy, but the reward of actually enjoying your workplace and the people that you work with on a daily basis outweighs the cons of the drive.  

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I am the Supervisor Imaging technologist in the University of Virginia Health System Cardiac Cath Lab.  I report directly to Jennifer Killmer MSN RN CCRN, who I am recommending for the DAISY Nurse Leader Award.  I have been in my current position since December of 2021 and I have worked in the Cardiac Cath Lab at the University of Virginia for over 26 years.

I have chosen to nominate Jennifer Killmer based on these leadership qualities that I have witnessed her excel at during her time in the Cardiac Cath Lab. Jennifer brings strong assets to her role and our group is incredibly fortunate to have her as our manager. She is amazing at maintaining open lines of communication with all team members, helping to keep everyone informed and on the same page. For example, she meets weekly with every new hire and their preceptors during their orientation phase to check-in and encourage each team member to strive for their best.  She also communicates their weekly plan clearly and directly to the shift managers so that everyone can know and participate in the onboarding of all new staff members.  

I also really like her democratic leadership style in managing projects, driving both in process and to completion. Upon Jennifer's arrival, she organized the lab into various workgroups to start working on the hot topics that were an issue for the lab.  From education, orientation, room turnover times, and scheduling, each group has made significant strides that are actively bettering the department.  We have seen many of the workgroups have a great impact on the workflow of the department, which leads to pride and increased work-life balance.  I greatly appreciate all the work and guidance she has given to all of us for the orientation plans and resources.  

Another quality that I have observed is Jennifer's willingness to tackle the difficult conversations upfront and in the moment. By doing this she has demonstrated to our team that she is willing to get in the trenches with us and for us. Her considerate, friendly, and honest nature are qualities that make her a natural leader.  I cannot express within the limits of this short description all of the attributes that Jennifer possesses to qualify her nomination for this award.

It is a testament to her dedication that she has established a renewed and reinvigorated spirit of collaboration and cooperation. Through her efforts and consensus building, we can now see a brighter and more stable future for the Cardiac Cath Lab and the University of Virginia Medical Center as a whole. Jennifer has been able to rebuild our staffing back to pre-COVID levels and with excellence.

Jennifer Killmer is someone who collaborates well with others, is always available to help her staff, and is eager to share her knowledge with all.  The University of Virginia Cardiac Cath Lab is a better place with her here and we are fortunate to have her as our manager. 

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I write in support of the consideration of Jennifer Killmer as a DAISY Nurse Leader Award recipient. I have had the privilege of servings as a direct report to Jennifer for the past seven months. Prior to that, I have spent over 20 years in the healthcare field serving in clinical roles and various administrative positions. I continue to appreciate Jennifer's leadership style and the positive effect she is having on shaping the culture of her department. 

Jennifer's ability to build a team effectively and efficiently is currently on display. In a short time, she has effectively recruited skilled, tenured staff members into her department, obviating the need for contract labor staff, a costly resource many in healthcare continue to rely upon. The work done to create a culture of support and learning have been the keys to recruiting and retention success. The department is well organized to take in new staff, train them systematically, and exercise bi-directional feedback to engage and support the new staff member. I would additionally recognize her and the service line's strategic approach to operational expansion. Staff expansion through proactive hiring is such a positive move. As service locations grow (additional procedure rooms), having staff present and trained on day one immediately optimizes the additional locations for patients and providers. 

Jennifer has a knack for identifying the unique interests and skills of her team. She draws them into a shared governance, really a shared leadership, model whereby their skills and abilities are carefully matched with department needs and strategy. It is so inspiring working with engaged front-line clinicians who are influential in promoting and shaping the operations of their department.  Jennifer serves as an advocate and catalyst between organizational resources and her team to promote patient safety and quality outcomes selflessly. 

Poise and resolve as a leader are important characteristics. The inception of the pandemic challenged healthcare with scarcities in various forms, disrupting day-to-day operations. While much of the recent past has been resolved, we continue to face occasional obstacles (supply back orders, intravenous fluid shortages, etc.) that pose risks to how we serve the patient community. In all instances, Jennifer has approached these situations with a calm resolve. Additionally, she has been ever present and effectively communicated on-going status and plans. This is strong work. Teams look to and take ques from their leaders. Her actions demonstrate absolute commitment to the patients of UVA Health, her department, and her team. All share confidence that she is part of a team developing well thought, effective plans that will see UVA Health continue to be a national leader in healthcare delivery.

The examples above are but a few examples highlighting Jennifer's commitment to her role and performance as a leader. I am personally grateful to have been offered the opportunity to be part a department with a culture of learning, support, and balance established by Jennifer and the Cath Lab Team. It has been wonderful and refreshing move. I offer my unwavering support to Jennifer as a recipient of a DAISY Nurse Leader award.