Eastern Maine Community College to expand Nursing Program to the Katahdin Higher Education Center in East Millinocket
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Deb Rountree 746-5741
EAST MILLINOCKET – Eastern Maine Community College is pleased to announce the expansion of its associate’s degree in Nursing to the Katahdin Region. The program will be offered at the Katahdin Higher Education Center in East Millinocket, with clinicals offered at Millinocket Regional Hospital along with other clinical locations. Learn about a new partnership between EMCC and Millinocket Regional Hospital, to bring nursing education to the Katahdin Region. Join us as we host this nursing informational session on Tuesday August 6th from 4pm-6pm, at 1 Dirigo Drive, East Millinocket Maine. Fall 2019 semester classes begin on August 26th.
“Maine healthcare providers are struggling to fill hundreds of nursing positions. The number of nursing vacancies is projected to grow to 3,200 positions by 2025 as the size of Maine’s service-dependent, 65-and-over population grows by more-than-a-third in the next ten years. Additionally, a wave of nursing professionals over the age of 55 will soon reduce work hours and retire from the physically demanding field. The challenge of replacing aging nurses is particularly acute in Maine’s rural communities where nearly half of the nursing workforce is over the age of 55.” (Maine Nursing Summit, 2017)
Representatives from the Eastern Maine Community College’s admissions office will be present to answer questions and provide additional information about the program’s admissions requirements. *Students will take the pre-requisite courses and general education courses beginning the fall of 2019 and all nursing courses will begin in the fall 2020 semester. Staff from Eastern Maine Development Corporation will also be available to discuss additional resources to assist students in this program. “This initiative of the Katahdin Higher Education Center, along with our friends at Millinocket Regional Hospital, is an excellent and much-needed opportunity to train the next generation of nurses in our region”, said Mike Elliott of the Katahdin Region Development Board. The Katahdin Region Development Board, along with Eastern Maine Development Corporation, supports workforce and training opportunities in the region. EMDC staff works with businesses and education partners to provide workforce training that prepares people with the skills needed in today’s changing job market and provides access to funding and related services that support individuals to train for and find meaningful employment.
The Katahdin Higher Education Center of Eastern Maine Community College and the University of Maine at Augusta is an off-campus center in the Katahdin Region where people can take courses, pursue degrees, and receive all the support they need to earn a degree close to home and on schedules that fit into their family and work lives. Courses are taught by faculty on-site, online, or two-way videoconferencing. Academic advising, tutoring, study skills workshops, computer access, library services and student activities are available to help support individual student success. The Katahdin Higher Education Center is located at 1 Dirigo Drive East Millinocket. More information is available www.emcc.edu or by calling 746-5741. EMCC is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution and employer. For more information, call 207-974-4633
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About Millinocket Regional Hospital
Millinocket Regional Hospital (MRH) is a 25 bed Critical Access Hospital nestled at the base of Baxter State Park that provides vital healthcare services to those who live, work and play in the Katahdin Region. Beyond the friendly staff and award-winning patient care, MRH provides an impressive range of specialty and general services; with a recent expansion resulting in the addition of eight new specialties and a Walk-In Care facility. In 2018, MRH was awarded the Press Ganey ‘Guardian of Excellence Award’ for exceptional patient experience; a nationally-recognized symbol of achievement for hospitals who consistently perform within the top 5%. Providing jobs to approximately 250 people, MRH is the largest employer in the Katahdin Region and a crucial economic driver within its community. For more information, please visit www.mrhme.org or www.facebook.com/MillinocketRegionalHospital