March 15, 2002
NR02042

Area high school students and St. John Valley residents interested in a career in the healthcare field will have the opportunity to see firsthand northern Maine's most comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility for nursing education, as the University of Maine at Fort Kent hosts an open house on April 5, in Nadeau Hall.

As the nation faces a critical nursing shortage, and nursing schools work to recruit new health professionals, officials at UMFK are taking new measures to increase the awareness of nursing as a career, to promote the richness and benefits of the profession, and to showcase the new Northern Maine Center for Rural Health Sciences, which houses the nursing education program at the university.

The open house, which will be held from 8:00 a.m. through 1:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5, is designed to introduce prospective nurses and others interested in working in the healthcare profession to career and education options.

"This is about more than responding to the shortage of nurses in hospitals nationwide and the decreasing enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs. The average age in nursing today is 45, so we share a responsibility to attract younger people into the field," said Rachel Albert, director of UMFK's nursing program. "The open house will provide us with the opportunity to show prospective students the many advances in nursing education at UMFK. With our new facility, we offer future healthcare professionals a learning environment second to none in the State of Maine."

The open house will serve as an opportunity for prospective students to meet professionals in the nursing field and hear an overview of the UMFK nursing program.

A presentation on financial aid, campus tours, and nursing demonstrations will also be featured as part of the half-day session.

Information provided to attendees will include details on what nursing is really about, opportunities in the career field, the academic prerequisites and grades required for nursing school admission, and personal attributes needed to become a nurse.

"UMFK provides a top quality education for nurses and others looking at careers in the healthcare field. We are looking forward to hosting prospective students at this open house, as it will allow us the opportunity to not only demonstrate the many advantages of our nursing program, but also showcase our campus community," said Melik Khoury, interim director of admissions.

In addition to participating in open house events throughout the morning, Khoury and other staff members from the UMFK admissions office will be available to meet with attendees following a wrap-up session that will be held after lunch.

Invitations to the open house have been extended to over 400 prospective students throughout Maine, and New-England.

Individuals interested in attending or learning more about the open house are encouraged to contact the admissions office at 834-7600 or toll free at 1-888-TRY-UMFK (879-8635).