How one nurse’s creative approach to time management is helping newly licensed nurses build confidence and succeed in clinical practice.
Veronica Bigott, MSN, RN, ACNS-BC, MEDSURG-BC, GERO-BC, NPDA-BC
Innovation in nursing doesn’t always begin with groundbreaking technology or a major research initiative. Sometimes, it starts with recognizing an everyday challenge and finding a creative way to solve it.
For Veronica Bigott, that challenge was time management among newly licensed nurses. Her solution? A customizable educational board game called Nurse Life that has grown into a nationally adopted learning experience.
In recognition of her innovative approach to nursing professional development, Bigott received the Innovation Award at the ANA-Illinois 2026 Professional Issues Conference.
The award celebrates nurses who have developed entrepreneurial interventions addressing unmet needs in nursing practice, education, or research. Bigott’s work exemplifies how creativity, collaboration, and a commitment to improving nursing education can make a meaningful difference.
Recognizing a Challenge Facing New Nurses
As a Nursing Professional Development Specialist and Program Manager of a New Graduate Nurse Residency program, Bigott understands the challenges nurses face when transitioning from the classroom to clinical practice.
While newly licensed nurses enter the workforce with a strong foundation of theoretical knowledge, applying that knowledge in fast-paced healthcare environments requires additional skills.
Through observations, conversations with nurse residents, and feedback from nursing leaders, Bigott identified a recurring concern: new nurses often struggled with time management, prioritization, and organizing patient care responsibilities.
She also recognized that traditional educational approaches did not always provide opportunities to practice these skills in a realistic, low-risk environment.
Rather than simply acknowledging the problem, she helped develop a solution.
Introducing Nurse Life: Learning Through Innovation
Bigott co-created Nurse Life, an interactive, customizable board game designed to help newly licensed nurses strengthen essential time management skills.
The game transforms everyday nursing responsibilities into realistic scenarios where participants must make decisions, prioritize tasks, and manage their workload.
Throughout the experience, players earn or lose time based on their decisions and engage in discussions about practical strategies they can apply during patient care.
The goal extends beyond completing tasks efficiently. Nurse Life encourages participants to recognize how their decisions influence the overall patient care experience.
By incorporating critical thinking, decision-making, and experiential learning, the game provides an engaging way to develop skills that support safe and efficient nursing practice.
What began as an in-person board game has since evolved into a virtual learning experience, expanding its reach while preserving the interactive elements that made the original concept successful.
Making a Measurable Impact on Nursing Practice
The impact of Nurse Life extends well beyond its initial implementation.
Among the first 434 nurse residents who participated in the learning experience, 97% reported that they could apply the time management strategies learned through Nurse Life directly to their clinical practice.
This encouraging feedback demonstrates the potential of interactive learning to support newly licensed nurses as they transition into professional practice.
Nurse Life has also been adopted by several leading health systems throughout the United States as part of their Nurse Residency Programs.
Its influence has reached the broader nursing community through national conference presentations and publication in a peer-reviewed nursing journal.
According to Bigott, the publication generated considerable interest, including:
- More than 15,600 article views
- Over 10,300 users
- 82 PDF downloads
- Nearly 500 views of the game board resource
These numbers reflect growing interest in practical, evidence-informed educational strategies that help prepare nurses for the realities of clinical practice.
Celebrating Innovation and Professional Excellence
For Bigott, receiving the Innovation Award represents more than professional recognition. It is an opportunity to reflect on how a simple idea has grown into an educational resource reaching nurses across the country.
“Receiving the Innovation Award is an incredible honor. I never imagined that co-developing Nurse Life would lead to such a meaningful impact on newly licensed nurses across Illinois and the country,” Bigott shared.
She also emphasized the importance of creative approaches to nursing education and the satisfaction of helping nurses build confidence in managing clinical responsibilities.
Her recognition serves as a reminder that meaningful innovation often begins with a willingness to question existing practices and explore new possibilities.
Encouraging the Next Generation of Nurse Innovators
When asked what advice she would offer nurses who have an innovative idea but aren’t sure where to begin, Bigott emphasized curiosity, collaboration, and persistence.
“Stay curious, ask questions, and listen to the people closest to the problem.”
She encourages nurses to seek feedback from colleagues, leaders, and learners, pilot their ideas, and remain open to making adjustments.
Innovation, she explains, is not always a straightforward process. It requires testing, refining, and learning along the way.
Most importantly, she encourages nurses not to be afraid to share their ideas or seek support from mentors and collaborators.
“You do not have to have all the answers to get started.”
For Bigott, Nurse Life began as a solution to a common challenge. Today, it stands as an example of how nursing professionals can transform observations from everyday practice into meaningful educational improvements.
Advancing Nursing Through Innovation
At ANA-Illinois, we believe that recognizing nursing innovation is essential to advancing the profession, strengthening nursing education, and inspiring future leaders.
Veronica Bigott’s achievement demonstrates how nurses can identify challenges, develop creative solutions, and contribute to positive change throughout healthcare.
Congratulations to Veronica Bigott on receiving the Innovation Award!
Her dedication to supporting newly licensed nurses and advancing nursing professional development reflects the ingenuity, leadership, and commitment to excellence that continue to move our profession forward.
ANA-Illinois is proud to recognize nurses who are making a difference through innovation, leadership, advocacy, and professional excellence.