PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — On Friday, Sept. 15 NMCC held a pinning ceremony for the practical nursing students who began the training in January. The PN program is a 9-month grant-funded certificate program supported by Healthcare Training for ME, an initiative of the Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan. This is a fully funded program, tuition, books and supplies are provided at no cost to the students. The next cohort is scheduled to begin in January 2024.
The ceremony recognized 23 graduates, and in keeping with nursing tradition, each graduate was “pinned” by a family member or loved one. The event took place at the Presque Isle Middle School’s auditorium. The guest speaker for the event was Heather Bresett, RN, MSN, NMCC PN adjunct faculty member. Two of the PN students were recognized during the event with achievement awards, Jessica King and Cole Johnson. Both students spoke during the ceremony. The formal ceremony closed with a group reading of the Florence Nightingale Pledge, a modified Hippocratic Oath for nursing professionals.
Healthcare Training for ME is a partnership between the Maine Department of Labor, Maine Community College System, Departments of Health and Human Services & Education, and University of Maine System to expand access to healthcare training opportunities and provide tuition support.
NMCC President Timothy Crowley shared, “We are proud of the work done by the faculty to establish the LPN program at NMCC. This program is the result of excellent work done by the workforce development team, college faculty and the Maine Department of Labor. This program is an excellent example of how partnerships can produce a response to workforce needs and employment opportunities for students.”
Eighteen of the 23 graduates have already secured employment in Aroostook County upon passing their NCLEX-PN licensure. Allison Folsom, nursing faculty, stated, “These graduates have worked extremely hard throughout the last nine months, and we are incredibly proud of them. Individuals in this group come from a variety of locations and backgrounds. Most will begin their careers in Aroostook County healthcare facilities, including long-term care facilities and hospital settings. Recent graduates from the practical nursing program have secured jobs throughout the state of Maine and are excelling in their roles.”
“Congratulations to these graduates on their huge accomplishment,” said Samantha Dina, director of special projects at the Maine Department of Labor, who also spoke at the ceremony on Friday night. “Through this partnership, we’ve been able to increase the number of healthcare training offerings across the state, and use tuition remission funding to financially support the upskilling of more than 600 individuals in their healthcare careers — including this cohort of 23 LPN graduates. It is crucial for individuals to have opportunities like this to advance, and we encourage any employers looking to upskill their staff or individuals seeking healthcare careers to check out Healthcare Training for ME to see how we can support your goals.”
To learn more about NMCC’s 9-month practical nursing certificate program, or to explore other programs, visit nmcc.edu or call admissions at 207-768-2785.
