Pam Freese Email and Phone Number

Asthma Nurse Specialist and care coordinator for the district. Responsible for developing relationships and being the liaison with outside providers to stay current on best practices for asthma. Builds strong and collaborative relationships across DPS, Children’s Hospital of Denver, providers in Colorado, and the Colorado Department of Education. Leads meaningful conversations around equity, social determinants of health, and barriers to success for all students. Ensures appropriate key stakeholder involvement in planning, goal-setting, and implementation to achieve buy-in of projects. Purposeful, positive, and professional interactions and relationships with all stakeholders; enables consistent application of work products across the district. Assesses and troubleshoots escalated problems and applies expert understanding to resolve complex challenges; focuses on root cause identification in order to achieve systemic and sustainable improvement. Demonstrates a strong customer service focus in plans, communications, student health data, and professional learning feedback to make improvements. Uses data-driven decision making to improve support to staff.

Collaborates with other school and health care staff to maintain a safe and healthy environment and promote an optimal level of wellness to enhance the educational process of students. Leads meaningful conversations around equity and barriers to ensure success for all students. Provides student-centered care that preserves and protects student and family autonomy, dignity, privacy, while being sensitive to diversity in the school setting. Provides health education that promotes physical and mental health and informed healthcare decisions, prevents disease, and enhances school performance. Promotes health equity, assists students and families in connecting with healthcare services, financial resources, shelter, food, and health promotion.

Performed leadership functions to support nursing and care team members in Palliative Care and Hospice practices. Applied critical thinking, evidence-based policies, procedures, guidelines and competence to collaborate with the health care team to promote excellence in healthcare consumer safety and quality outcomes.Selected Contributions:-Reviewed and approved all appropriate Palliative Care Referrals for the clinic-Attended, implemented, and participated in multiple LEAN events; a growing, universal approach to eliminating waste and improving performance at Denver Health-Presentations to groups of 100+ people to promote the Palliative Care Outpatient Clinic-Grew clinic 85% in under a year from outreach initiatives and presentations-Expert in departmental data collection and strategy improvement. Worked with the EPIC team weekly for over a year to change the informatics platform for the clinic-Direct involvement with pharmacy for prior authorization approval for expensive and difficult to receive medications-Case manager and interdisciplinary care coordinator for all patients in the clinic-Epic SuperUser, supported and facilitated Epic rollouts-Managed templates and schedules for four providers -Developed and facilitated a bereavement program for patient’s families-Credentialled for advancement and became a ProCap Level 4 nurse

Provided leadership to the Oncology and BMT team as the point person for other staff, including providers to manage patient flow and care delivery in the department. Supervised and mentored staff during assigned shifts. Determined staffing level and assignments based on staff availability, staff abilities, census, and patient acuity. Performed admissions and discharges, while coordinating transfers as needed. Ensured staff had necessary equipment and supplies to provide safe, quality patient care.Selected Contributions:-Responsible for managing RN reviews and providing feedback-Responsible for RN assignments, staffing meetings, capacity management, and patient rounding. --Responsible for annual evaluations and midterm evaluations of twelve to fifteen RNs and six to eight CNA/Advanced Care Partners (Nurse Interns)-Scheduler for 65 CNAs and responsible for all schedule changes and vacation requests-Credentialled for advancement to become a Level 3 nurse by implementing a CNA/ACP counsel, which was then nominated for a Nightingale Luminary Award

Conducted ongoing assessments as determined by the patient’s condition, developed care plans while collaborating with other team members. Managed complex oncology and bone marrow patients.Selected Contributions:-Precepted over 25 new graduate nurses and over 20 experienced nurses on a 72 bed unit

Conducted ongoing assessments as determined by the patient’s condition or the facility’s policies, procedures, or protocols and reprioritized care accordingly. Developed individualized plan of care for the patient reflecting collaboration with other members of the healthcare team. Selected Contributions:-Determined staffing level and assignments based on staff availability, staff abilities, census, capacity management, and patient acuity.-Oversaw patient admissions, transfers, and discharges.-Mentored and trained new staff and provided support and guidance to all staff members.

Performed basic patient care activities as delegated and supervised by an RN, including but not limited to: IV starts, inserting Foley Catheters, tracheostomy suctioning, monitoring vital signs, taking blood glucose measurements, and recording intake and output. Assisted patients while tending to personal care and activities of daily living. Kept patient rooms stocked, clean, and orderly. Reported abnormal findings or changes in physical, mental and emotional conditions to nursing staff. Expectation for internship: critical thinking skills, decisive judgment, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.

Performed medication administration and education to adults with disabilities. Assisted adults while tending to personal care and activities of daily living, including but not limited to: bathing, grooming, laundry, cleaning, and healthy eating habits. Provided assistance and instruction to strengthen life skills, primarily with vocational assessments. Acted as a liaison between the employees and employers with the goal of independent management for the patient.

Gathered and analyzed insurance applications to verify client information by studying financial histories and occupational risks. Responsible for approving or denying home, auto, and umbrella policies. Created and maintained relationships with over ten agency accounts to grow incoming business for Allied Insurance.