Evergreen is delighted to welcome back Jamie Scott as our nurse – although she lives in Fargo, North Dakota! She’s served our Individuals’ medical needs in the past. Thanks to telemedicine and Zoom, we’re grateful to have her back on our team.
Jamie has been a nurse for 20 years and for 13 of them, worked in several community jails in the Denver metro area. She spent much of her time teaching, finding that many inmates had not taken care of themselves and weren’t even aware that they had diabetes, ulcers, and other conditions. Jamie shared that she found the work rewarding because, “They are not in jail forever and I gave them something they could take with them to improve their lives. Teaching them about their illnesses and what they can do to manage those conditions helps them have a positive mental attitude and equips them to better care for and be an advocate for themselves.”
Before starting work for Evergreen – the first time – Jamie worked for the Developmental Disability Resource Center for a couple of years. It’s where she first worked with Intellectually and Developmentally Disabled (IDD) Individuals and found the work extremely rewarding.
Jamie and her husband, Matt, moved to Fargo last October after he retired from his work as a police officer. They are closer to his family, which owns a farm in Minnesota, an hour away, and are enjoying their new home and state, even with its volatile weather. Jamie had retired as well, but says Evergreen Executive Director, Barbara Myers, persuaded her to come back to work – remotely. She has set up an office in their home and attends all Evergreen meetings via Zoom.
Jamie enjoys her good relationships with Evergreen’s Host Home Providers and supporting them in the care of the Individuals who share their homes, making herself available to answer any medical questions they may have. The triaging and assessment skills she developed while working with inmates are invaluable when working with IDD Individuals since they may sometimes be unable to fully communicate their symptoms and concerns. Jamie finds that listening is key and acts as their eyes and ears, often to be able to advise HHPs whether a situation is urgent or can wait for an appointment with the PCP.
She also helps coordinate dental, vision, and annual physical appointments as well as follow-ups, monitors medication and medication changes, maintains medical records, provides resources and information about diet and healthcare, helps locate specialists, intercedes with doctors, acts as an advocate for Individuals, participates in service plan meetings, and maintains communication and coordination with the Evergreen staff.
Jamie shared that the IDD population appeals to her because they are vulnerable and need someone to watch out for them, advocate for them, and care for them. She enjoys making a difference for this community that she feels may be underserved. She says she “…loves working for Evergreen. With just a few of us, communication is easy and I’m able to offer personalized services. I can call an HHP and talk a half hour without feeling rushed to get to other patients. I feel blessed to be part of the team and part of the care.” We at Evergreen share her sentiment – we are blessed to have her back on our team!
