Houlton: Hospital Pledges Support to NMCC Nursing
By Jen Lynds, Bangor Daily News, Maine
Aug. 14–A few years ago, Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle joined hands with Houlton Regional Hospital to launch a pilot program that used distance education to reach more nursing students in Aroostook County.
The program has proved to be a success, and hospital officials announced plans Monday to provide even greater support for the associate degree nursing program that is offered by the Presque Isle college to southern Aroostook County students.
The hospital has pledged $45,000 over the next three years to NMCC’s Campaign for The County’s College. The funding was designated to support the nursing courses delivered by NMCC through distance technology at the Houlton Higher Education Center.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Houlton area residents to attend their nursing classes locally and to do their clinical rotation at HRH,” Thomas Moakler, the chief executive officer of HRH, said in a written statement. “This also provides the hospital with potential employees and for graduates to work near their homes. NMCC is a great community college and the Houlton community has certainly benefited from their presence here.”
According to college officials, state rules and regulations mandate that NMCC limit its nursing class sizes to eight students per instructor. The regulations are in place to address the need to ensure safety at clinical sites.
At its Presque Isle campus, NMCC can accommodate 32 to 40 students in its class.
Distance education, however, has changed that.
NMCC has forged a partnership with HRH to educate a class of seven associate degree nursing students in Houlton. In May, those students completed the first year of the intensive two-year degree program.
The students enrolled in the program take courses at the Houlton Higher Education Center. The courses are interactive over a Web system, with courses originating at the Presque Isle campus.
An NMCC nursing instructor is on hand in the Houlton classroom to offer support and to supplement nursing content.
Distance education not only helps NMCC educate more nursing students, it also allows students to get that education closer to home and participate in training at local health care facilities.
As part of their educational experience, the students train in a variety of clinical settings and spend time in the spring completing rotations at the Houlton hospital.
After successfully completing all courses, the Houlton students will earn an associate degree in science and become eligible to take the NCLEX-RN national licensure exam.
Upon successful completion of the exam, they are able to apply for state licensure.
NMCC President Timothy Crowley said the college has been “very fortunate” to work cooperatively with HRH to deliver the college’s nursing program in southern Aroostook County.
He also lauded the hospital for the recent $45,000 contribution, calling it a “key contribution.”
The Houlton hospital is licensed for 25 acute-care beds and 28 nursing home or skilled nursing beds. HRH employs more than 425 people and offers a wide array of services to a population of approximately 17,000 people.
The Campaign for The County’s College was established to raise $2 million through February 2008 to support student scholarships and instructional technology and to assist NMCC in efforts to respond quickly to community needs throughout Aroostook County.
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