Nurses Care 2023

Celebrating National Nurses Week

NationalNurses Week is celebrated each year in the United States. The American Nurses Association notes that the week begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, which coincides with International Nurses Day, a global celebration designed to highlight and celebrate the contributions nurses make to society. May 12 also marks the birthday of Florence Nightingale, an influential 19th century British nurse who many consider the founder of modern nursing.

This year’s theme is “You Make a Difference,”

recognizing all the different roles nurses play and the positive impact they have on our lives.

Celebrations honoring nurses across the globe have taken on greater meaning throughout the past few years with the COVID-19 pandemic, during which hundreds of nurses died from the virus while countless others contracted it before eventually returning to work to continue helping those in need. This year and every year, we celebrate the important work nurses do and the bravery they show each and every day.

Saying

HOW COMMUNITIES CAN HONOR LOCAL NURSES

COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE

Want to do a little more to say thank you to the nurses in your community?

Here are a few ideas.

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

Thanks

Nursing is a team sport — being part of a strong group that works well together and supports each other is all you really need most days. Just ask Anna Green, RN, BS. “Being able to work as a group and be a team is valuable...”

But the work, care, and attention nurses provide to their patients deserves special thanks and appreciation. In celebration of Nurses Week and this year’s theme of “You Make a Difference,” let’s go above and beyond in our appreciation, just as nurses do in their care every day. We asked some local nurses in various fields to share the best way to say thank you.

“The best thank you is a card addressed to the nurse,” says retired Registered Nurse Mary Goodman. “A card brings a satisfying smile that you made a difference in someone’s day and life.”

Goodman added that a card also is valuable because it can be shared with a nurse’s supervisors. “The nurse can then copy the card and give it to the department head who then acknowledges and files it in the nurse’s folder. When the next evaluation comes up, this will help with decision making regarding a raise or upgrading a position in the department.”

Some expressions of appreciation become treasures as they have for school nurse Barbara Carter, RN, of RSU 22.

“I have been a school nurse for over 20 years and have saved every note from students, parents, and staff.” In the workplace, she said she also appreciates “feeling supported by others in your department. [It] makes a big difference in getting through a rough day.”

· Recognize nurses at public events. Parades, high school sporting events, holiday tree lighting ceremonies, and other community-centric events draw large crowds. That makes these events the perfect time to honor local nurses and emphasize all the work they do to help their neighbors. Ask a local nurse or two to serve as grand marshal(s) in a holiday parade and/or let local nurses flip the switch at a tree lighting ceremony. Community dignitaries like a mayor or local police chief can explain who the honoree is once the crowd gathers.

· Support a nursing charity. A community-wide campaign to support a charity that benefits nurses or causes important to nurses can be a great way to thank them for all they do. Various domestic and international organizations are linked to the nursing profession. Prior to introducing a campaign, community leaders can speak with local nurses to see if there is any specific charity or cause important to them. Some charities may provide job training in communities where nursing shortages have made it hard for locals to access quality health care, while others may finance health care operations, including staffing of nurses, in underprivileged countries.

· Embrace public health efforts. One of the most effective ways to honor local nurses is to take a little off their professional plate. Community leaders can urge residents to get their annual flu shots and update other vaccinations in an effort to keep hospital admissions low, which in turn makes nurses’ jobs easier.

Nurses are worthy of praise. Communities can do much to show these invaluable health care professionals how much their efforts and sacrifices are appreciated.

Celebrating the compassion and commitment of our nurses and recipients of the DAISY Award for extraordinary nurses in 2023.

Caleb Gagnon, RN, came in on a day off to assist with transport home in an ambulance for a patient passing away. If Caleb hadn’t volunteered, the patient would likely not have been able to spend their final hours at home. Although this was something he’d never done, he walked into the situation with ease. He had cared for this patient prior to the transport, so it was very personal for him to assist with getting the patient home. Caleb creates a healing environment, which allows space for wholeness, beauty, comfort, dignity, and peace. He listens intently to patients and families and gives them what they need within reason and policy, and does not hesitate to bring up ethical issues when they arise. Caleb is open-minded, empathetic, and compassionate. Working with him is an honor.

Ashley Page, RN, was nominated by a provider who says, “Ashley treats her patients as her own family and takes great pride in caring for this community. She commutes quite a distance, bypassing other hospitals she could work at, but she enjoys the community environment in the ICU and the acute care she is able to provide. Ashley is innovative and always willing to learn. She shows an immense amount of compassion for her patients.”

Kurt Pike, RN, was nominated by a patient’s family member who says, “I immediately felt at ease when I met Kurt. He assured me that my dad was in good hands, and I could see how he professionally and compassionately cared for him. He followed through every aspect of caring for him while showing compassion for me as well. It’s hard to watch your parent in distress. So, thank you Kurt, I felt comforted knowing my dad was in your care.”

Our nurses’ healing hands and commitment to caring inspire all of us to go above and beyond every day to make healthcare work better for our patients. Learn more about the DAISY Award and nominate a nurse today at: northernlighthealth.org/emmcdaisy

Caleb Gagnon, RN

Kurt Pike, RN

Ashley Page, RN

Huge Expansion

BY NOEL K. GALLAGHER, MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM

DOUBLES NURSING OPTIONS AT MAINE’S COMMUNITY COLLEGES

ForAmy Stanek, the right opportunity came along at just the right time.

Stanek was looking to go back to school and get her nursing degree, years after leaving an early career as a medical assistant to raise her two children. But where to begin?

“When I started looking at schools that offered nursing degrees, I was extremely hopeful when I discovered that York County Community College (in Wells) was starting a nursing program,” said Stanek, who lives in nearby Sanford.

The new YCCC nursing program is part

of the doubling of nursing programs at Maine’s community colleges across the state, thanks to $2.5 million in new state funding in 2022 that was matched by the state’s two largest healthcare providers.

Stanek jumped at the chance to enroll, and like many parents in higher ed, she started carving out time to study when “my kids were in school and when they were sleeping at night.” Despite the hard work, she became actively involved in the YCCC community, serving on the Student Senate and joining the newly formed Nursing Club. This month, Stanek is being

honored as the York County Community College Student of the Year.

“Choosing YCCC to help me accomplish my goals was one of the best decisions I have ever made,” said Stanek, who hopes to work with cardiology patients after graduating in 2024. “I have gained knowledge, independence, confidence, and best of all, new friends through classmates and faculty.”

Students at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor are also taking advantage of new nursing program options launched as part of the expansion. They’re

Amy Stanek: PHOTO COURTESY OF MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM

enrolled in the college’s new opportunity to study nursing in Millinocket, in partnership with the Katahdin Higher Education Center and clinicals at Millinocket Regional Hospital.

“Having the nursing program in this community opened up opportunities that would not have existed without it. I had looked into nursing programs with other schools but always felt discouraged. I’m a mom of three children and traveling to Bangor to get my degree would have been unobtainable,” said Emily, who graduated from the Millinocket program last year. “The program is an asset for this community, and I am forever grateful for the path it has placed me on.”

“Before this expansion, we were turning away hundreds of applicants because classes were full, despite a huge demand for nurses in Maine,” said David Daigler, president of the Maine Community College System (MCCS). “We are so grateful for the state’s investment in nursing, and to our longtime, valued partners,

MaineHealth and Northern Light Health.”

Highlights of the expansion include:

CMCC: Adding 40 new nursing students annually on nights and weekends. Hiring eight new nursing faculty, simulation tech and simulation coordinator positions.

EMCC: Adding 12 new students at WCCC, up to 12 new students at Pen Bay Medical Center in Rockport, and another 24 new students in expanded summer start and evening programs. Hiring two fulltime faculty, two adjunct faculty, and simulation lab staff.

KVCC: Added 16 new students. Hiring additional faculty and a clinical coordinator.

NMCC: Added 16 new students. Hiring additional nursing faculty, a simulation operations specialist, and purchasing simulation laboratory equipment.

SMCC: Added 42 students in a new evening nursing program at the South Portland campus, and hiring six new nursing instructors. Doubling nursing

capacity at the Midcoast Campus in Brunswick, with nursing cohorts starting every year instead of every other year.

WCCC: Building a new nursing program in partnership with EMCC. Hiring nursing instructors, and adding a new health

occupational certificate program to prepare future nursing students to enter the new WCCC program.

YCCC: Launched new nursing program with 32 seats in fall 2022. Hired four fulltime faculty.

Group of Millinocket nurses: PHOTO COURTESY OF KATAHDIN HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER

A PRESCRIPTION FOR

Burnout

“Wehave absolutely seen an increase in burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma across the healthcare populations we serve,” said Sheila Thibodeau, LCSW, CCS, CEAP. Thibodeau is Director of Operations for the Workforce Employee Assistance Program (EPA) and Training at Northern Light Health. Having worked for decades in the field, Thibodeau

BY ANNE GABBIANELLI

has seen the reality of burnout.

“While burnout has always been a high risk for those working in healthcare, the pandemic has certainly limited the ability of providers to maintain high levels of satisfaction with their work,” Thibodeau said.

Anna Green, RN-BC at Acadia Hospital best summarized why so many are in the nursing field. “I like my job because I

always feel the services I produce have made a difference for people.”

Yet with this satisfaction comes a price and that’s why services like those of EPAs are vital, said Thibodeau. “With the increased demands on healthcare, many providers are expressing they have lost the sense of ‘making a difference.’”

“EAP utilization rates alone since the pandemic have doubled or tripled for many of our organizations, going from an average 3 percent up to averages over 8 percent over the past few years,” Thibodeau said.

“COVID certainly changed the way people look at things and interact,” Green said. “I’m seeing less direct interaction. Nursing has always been in person yet other services were done via Zoom and the like which worked, yet we lost some of the connection.”

Green says she was able to effectively carry on during the pandemic though. “For me it was a positive thing going into work during COVID because a lot of people were struggling and needed interaction, as did I.”

“Burnout is horrible and a casualty of the nursing career,” said Brooke Whitley Warren, BSN, RN-BC and faculty member of Eastern Maine Community College.

“The pandemic did not heighten nursing burnout itself; it only made it acceptable to talk about within our communities. The hard part is, nurses have been, and always will be essential. So for a short

period of time, we could express our frustrations about burnout, but what the community should know is that we nurses had been burnt out long before.”

Retired after 30 years of nursing, Bruce Muir, RN said, “Burnout can take a toll on you both emotionally and physically, and lead to feeling defeated.” He offers to fellow nurses: “The key is to remember you are not perfect.”

Because nursing is versatile, many find ways to stay in the profession by switching jobs to alleviate the stress. One nurse shared, “Trust your gut and listen to your inner guidance.” Another said, “Keep learning. Read for knowledge and read for fun.” Others suggest daily yoga and exercise activities, vacations, and time just for you.

“We can’t expect ourselves to never experience symptoms of burnout, it’s more about noticing where we are on the spectrum at any given time and adjusting accordingly,” Thibodeau said. “Sometimes the best way to increase our compassion satisfaction is to engage in radical self care whether that is taking our lunch break, saying no to an overtime shift, or scheduling nothing on our day off.”

“The demands on healthcare workers have increased and so has the importance of recalibrating ourselves for sustainability,” Thibodeau said. “A healthcare workers’ job is literally to focus on others; sometimes the best self care is taking time to focus on yourself.”

UMFK’S MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREES IN NURSING PROGRAMS ARE

The University of Maine at Fort Kent now offers Master of Science Nursing degree tracks for Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (ANP) and Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). The new programs are the first graduate programs offered by the university.

“We have researched the health needs of the State of Maine and after considering the graduate-level nursing programs that the University of Maine System already offered, we determined that providing these specialty tracks were of the most value to the residents of Maine,” said UMFK’s Associate Provost of Academic Affairs and Dean of Nursing Dr. Erin Soucy.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse

Practitioners manage complex patient situations in fast-paced settings. Graduates from the program will provide care to patients over age 18, including older adults, both in hospitals and clinics. As practitioners care for acutely ill patients, they will use evidence-based practice to assess patients, provide complex monitoring, order and interpret diagnostic tests, and develop complex treatment plans. They will focus on managing ongoing problems and preventing complications to support the best patient care outcomes.

The Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioners program prepares graduates with the skills to provide

100 Online

care for individuals across the lifespan (infant to adult), families, and populations at risk for psychiatric or mental health disorders. Care focuses on relationship building and the promotion of optimal mental health and the prevention and treatment of psychiatric and mental health disorders. Practitioners provide care to include the assessment, diagnosis, and management of psychiatric and mental health disorders across the lifespan.

The new programs are 100% online, offered in an accelerated 7-week format, to provide working nurses the flexibility they need to manage their home and work life while progressing toward their master’s degree. Clinicals are completed one-on-one with a preceptor. Graduates are eligible for board certification.

For more information about these master’s degree programs at the University of Maine at Fort Kent, please visit us online at umfk.edu/academics/ programs/nursing or call 207-834-7600.

ST. JOSEPH HEALTHCARE IS PROUD TO BE YOUR Community Hospital

COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH HEALTHCARE

NationalNurses Week is a special time at St. Joseph Healthcare. Each year, we pause to honor and recognize the incredible work that our nurses do every day. It is a time for us all to share our gratitude for the impact that nurses have on our lives and the lives of our patients and this community.

We could not think of a better way to celebrate National Nurses Week than by sharing a story from one of our nurses.

Meet Evan Nadeau, RN

I grew up in Brewer and I was fortunate to have two great role models in my parents. My father was a physician’s assistant and my mom was a nurse. I listened, with admiration, as my parents would share stories of their hard work and dedication to caring for the people in our family and in our community.

When I was exploring colleges, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to be, but I knew that I wanted to be someone who could take care of the community and give back in the way I’d watched my parents do so. I graduated with my nursing degree from the University of Maine in Orono. While I was gaining experience working as a nurse, I continued searching for the right fit for me and my family. I chose to join the team at St. Joseph Healthcare because they shared my commitment to providing high-quality and compassionate care. As soon as I joined the team and saw the way the mission is brought to life here, I was all in.

It can be hard to describe what it is about St. Joe’s that makes it such a special place, but for me, it’s the people. I come to work every day and I feel like I’m part of a family and I think that’s true for a lot of

our patients too. I always feel proud when a patient shares that they are sad to be discharged or complete their outpatient treatment. It really speaks to the feeling you get when you receive medical care here — that you are not only being provided the medical support you need, but that you are also being cared for.

I’ve been a nurse at St. Joe’s for three years. I’m currently working in the Wound Care Clinic and Hyperbaric Medicine. I am both thankful and proud to be part of the St. Joseph Outpatient Specialty Services team. It is an honor to work with a team that offers specialized services including wound care, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, infusion therapy, EEG, ostomy care and nail care. I love this area of the hospital, the care we provide, and getting to know our patients — many whom we see frequently for outpatient care.

St. Joe’s has not only provided me with a good working environment, and the ability to provide the kind of care that matters most, but they have also provided flexibility in my schedule when I’ve needed time to take care of myself and my family. The care and support I receive from my colleagues is incredible. I would encourage anyone looking for a meaningful role in nursing or in healthcare to consider joining the St. Joe’s team.

Thank you to Evan for sharing his story, and to all the Nurses at St. Joseph Healthcare and within our community for all you do.

If you are interested in exploring nursing opportunities at St. Joe’s, you can visit stjosephbangor.org/careers or email Starr Corcoran at scorcoran@covh.org.

SEEKING THEBest COURTESY OF MAINE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION

NationalNurses Week is a time for us to honor the women and men who provide vital care to patients in Maine and around the world.

The practice of nursing has changed drastically in the nearly 180 years since Florence Nightingale professionalized the occupation. Early nurses were little more than cleaners; now they need medical knowledge, technical skills and specialized proficiencies.

We in Maine are fortunate to have such dedicated professionals. Nurses are just one member of a whole care team at our hospitals—teams that include Certified Nursing Assistants, Medical Assistants, Respiratory Therapists, Radiology Assistants, Ultrasound Technicians, Social Workers and more.

There are excellent reasons to choose a career in healthcare:

1. You get job satisfaction by helping and healing others;

2. Increasing demand for workers means good job security;

3. Flexible working hours—are you a night owl? There’s a shift for that!

4. A wide variety of healthcare occupations with something for everyone, no matter your background, experience or interests;

5. Educational opportunities—right now community college in Maine is free. There are plenty of healthcare jobs, including some nursing jobs, that only need an Associate’s degree;

6. Educational benefits—some hospitals will help pay for advanced training;

7. Diverse work settings—in addition to having diverse care teams, different departments, and different patient mixes, Maine hospitals own physician practices and nursing homes. There’s a place for you;

8. Above average earning potential—lots of jobs in healthcare pay better than average, plus hospitals offer health insurance and retirement plans.

As our workforce ages in Maine, there are more and more job openings at hospitals. To help Mainers learn more about becoming a nurse or another care team member, Maine hospitals have started a new website called HealthCareers4ME.com.

The site will include links on how to become a nurse, be it a licensed practical nurse, registered nurse or advanced practice registered nurse, as well as links to the many other healthcare career paths that are available. Videos of healthcare personnel speaking on why they joined the healthcare industry and what they enjoy about their jobs will also be featured on the site.

Every day, nurses and other healthcare workers devote themselves to providing compassionate and healing care. Despite the many challenges that healthcare faces today, these employees remain the backbone of Maine hospitals and the communities we serve. We need nurses and other compassionate caregivers more than ever, which is why we are putting out the call to all those considering a career in healthcare. Come join us today!

QUALITY CARE,

Close to Home

COURTESY OF MOUNT DESERT ISLAND HOSPITAL

Mount Desert Island Hospital’s mission is to provide quality care, close to home. Our nurses represent the heart and soul of that mission as they provide expert care that is compassionate and kind, to our patients and their families.

Whether you come to us as a year-round or seasonal resident, or as a visitor to Acadia National Park and our quaint harbor towns, our nurses will always treat you like family.

When Klair Moshier and her husband, Scott, walked through the doors of the Emergency Department at Mount Desert Island Hospital in December 2021, doctors were immediately concerned and tested Klair’s oxygen saturation levels. “Most people with normal lung function are operating somewhere

around 98+ percent. She was 53 percent,” noted Dr. Peter Ossanna, Chief of Medicine and Hospitalist who treated Klair. “She was critically ill.”

Within 45 minutes of arrival, Klair was admitted and placed on a ventilator in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a severe case of COVID-19.

Due to the strict visitation protocols in place at the time, Scott was sent home to recover while Klair remained hospitalized. As he drove away, Scott was struck by the need to be near his wife. He told MDI Hospital staff that he couldn’t just wait at home, so he turned around and came back. Scott spent all the time he could in his truck in the parking lot right outside Klair’s window, where nurs-

es would wave and assure him that she was in good hands.

In the ICU, Monica Theroux, RN was one of the nurses who cared for Klair. As one of the first COVID-19 patients that Monica had treated, she was concerned for her own health and safety as well, but she knew she couldn’t show any of that to the patient. “You have to provide reassurance and make them feel safe.”

Scott stayed in constant communication with Klair’s nurses while he waited outside. “I would put the phone to Klair’s ear and say, ‘Just talk, I don’t know if she can hear you but she’s here,’” recalled Lisa McLaggan, RN. “I told him, if you want to call throughout the night, I’m here until 7 in the morning so call

every couple of hours.”

Klair was ultimately on the ventilator in the ICU for five days. “My nurses were the most amazing…I don’t even call them people—they are angels on earth,” Klair recalls. “They would go above and beyond every single time. Just before they left my room, they would ask, ‘Is there anything else I can get for you or do for you?’ And every time I said, ‘Would you just hold my hand?’ They would come over to the bedside and I was so grateful. They never rushed. They were happy to sit and hold my hand. They would talk to me and tell me I was going to be okay.”

“They saved my life. It’s as simple as that. I’m here today because of MDI Hospital.”