Classroom Renovations Renovations for the nursing school classroom and clinical space are underway in the Reny's building on Chapman Street in Damariscotta. Students will also use the science lab space at Lincoln Academy. (Photo Megan Carpenter)

Regional health care providers and educational institutions have joined forces to address a growing crisis in health care: a shortage of nurses. After two years of careful planning, Miles Memorial Hospital, Central Maine Community College (CMCC), St. Andrews Hospital, MaineHealth and Lincoln Academy are extending the CMCC nursing program to Damariscotta.

Registration deadline to take the nursing entrance test (NET) is Friday, May 30. The test will be given at Miles Memorial Hospital on Saturday, June 7 from 9 a.m. to noon. The NET is required for CMCC's nursing school application which is due by June 15.

This will be the first full degree program offered in Lincoln County and will accommodate eight students beginning in the fall of 2008. They will have the option to complete a diploma program to earn their Licensed Practical Nurse certification, or continue their studies to earn an associate's degree and become a registered nurse.

"The average age of nurses nationwide is 46.8 years old," commented Lincoln County Health Care (St. Andrews and Miles) Board of Trustees Chair Phil Lathop. "For Miles and St. Andrews, that figure is much closer to 50. We believe the best strategy in addressing these shortages in Lincoln County is to provide career advancement opportunities to those who are already here."

Using a combination of local classroom space, distance learning technology (interactive video conferencing), and St. Andrews and Miles as clinical learning sites, area nursing students can attend class and complete clinical rotations locally without the time and expense of traveling to CMCC's Auburn campus.

"We are very pleased to be able to extend our nursing program to Damariscotta," said Roger Philippon, Dean of Planning and Public Affairs at CMCC. "This effort has been a model of collaboration between the College and our partners in Lincoln County to address a growing health care need. The CMCC nursing faculty has worked extremely hard on this, and we applaud the efforts of all who helped bring this project to fruition."

"Most people seeking nursing degrees in this region are non-traditional students," commented Miles Director of Education Cathy Cole. "They're working either full or part-time jobs and raising families. Having to travel an hour to attend classes is expensive and a real impediment for those seeking a degree."

The Associate Degree in nursing from CMCC is a 68-credit-hour program that includes 38 credit hours of nursing courses and clinicals, 15 credit hours of communication, humanities and social sciences, 12 credit hours of math and science, and 3 credit hours of electives. Classes of two to three hours will be held Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Thursdays and Fridays will be six-hour clinical days.

Students seeking financial aid may inquire about the MilesPro program with the Human Resources Department. Those who intend to apply for state and federal financial aid are encouraged to visit the CMCC web site at www.cmcc.edu/financial_aid , or call the Financial Aid Office at 755-5328 or 800 800-891-2002.

"Bringing a higher education, degree-granting program like the nursing school to Lincoln County will result in a new dimension of education, training and patient care to this area," commented former Miles Trustee Alan Davis. "CMCC is a high quality, dynamic college with a record of academic excellence. This school will serve to meet the critical need for nurses, not only at these two first-rate hospitals, but eventually will serve as a vital resource of highly trained health care professionals for other Maine hospitals. The biggest winners will be the patients served by these institutions."

Anyone interested in applying to the program for this fall is strongly encouraged to contact Cathy Cole at 563-4466 as soon as possible. More information about the CMCC nursing program, requirements, and admissions can be found online at www.cmcc.edu .