HOULTON – Houlton Regional Hospital has committed $45,000 over the next three-year period to support the associate degree nursing program offered by Northern Maine Community College in southern Aroostook County. The funds, committed to NMCC’s Campaign for the County’s College, are designated to support the nursing courses delivered by NMCC via distance technology at the Houlton Higher Education Center.
Contributed photo
THOMAS MOAKLER, right, chief executive officer of Houlton Regional Hospital, met recently with Northern Maine Community College officials to discuss the hospital’s support of the associate degree nursing program NMCC delivers in Houlton. Participating in the discussion were, from left: Raynold Gauvin, president of the NMCC Foundation; Robert Clark, Maine Community College System trustee; and Timothy Crowley, NMCC president.
“Houlton Regional Hospital is pleased to collaborate with NMCC and the nursing program 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. This also provides the hospital with potential employees and for graduates to work near their homes,” said Thomas Moakler, chief executive officer of Houlton Regional Hospital. “NMCC is a great community college and the Houlton community has certainly benefited from their presence here.”
In May, the southern Aroostook students currently enrolled in the NMCC nursing program in Houlton completed the first year of the extensive two-year degree program. After successfully completing all courses, they will earn their associate in science degree and be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN national licensure exam.
Upon successful completion of the exam, they are able to apply for licensure in Maine and/or any other state. As part of their educational experience, the students train in a variety of clinical settings, including many learning opportunities at Houlton Regional Hospital.
“We have been very fortunate to work cooperatively with Houlton Regional Hospital in the delivery of our nursing program in southern Aroostook and are so pleased that the hospital has made this key contribution to support the program,” said Timothy Crowley, NMCC president. “Tom Moakler and his entire staff have been great resources and partners in our efforts to expand allied health education offerings in the greater Houlton area. This contribution underscores their commitment, not only to nursing education, but to the people of the region.”
NMCC initially ran a pilot program for providing distance education in nursing, working collaboratively with Houlton Regional Hospital a few years ago. That effort has been extended with the current cohort of student nurses.
HRH employs over 425 people and serves a wide geographic area with a population of approximately 17,000 people. The hospital is licensed for 25 acute beds and 28 skilled nursing/nursing home beds. Services are typical of those of an acute care hospital and include a 24-hour physician covered emergency room, comprehensive medical/surgical services and a multitude of out-patient services, including pulmonary and cardiac rehabilitation, physical, occupational and speech therapy to name a few.
Full-time physician services include internal medicine, gynecology, obstetrics, family practice, urology, ENT, general surgery, ophthalmology surgery, pediatrics, orthopedic surgery, and radiology. Part-time physician services include neurology, endocrinology, pediatric endocrinology, physiatry, podiatry, and a pacer clinic.
The Campaign for the County’s College was established to raise $2 million by February 2008 to both support student scholarships and instructional technology, as well as to assist NMCC in new and ongoing efforts to respond promptly to community needs throughout Aroostook County.
