April 12, 2002
NR02068

A good mix of 20 high school students from throughout Maine and St. John Valley residents interested in a career in the healthcare field recently turned-out to see firsthand northern Maine's most comprehensive, state-of-the-art facility for nursing education, at the University of Maine at Fort Kent's first annual open house.

As the nation faces a critical nursing shortage, and nursing schools work to recruit new health professionals, officials at UMFK hosted the event as one of many new measures designed 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 introduced 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 UMFKs nursing program. "The open house was well attended and provided us a great opportunity to show prospective students the many advances in nursing education at UMFK. The students all appeared to enjoy themselves, as well as learn more about a field they have expressed interest in, and what it will take to prepare them to enter the career field."

The open house also served 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 were featured as part of the half-day session.

Information provided to attendees included 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.