University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) Director of Nursing Shannon Gauvin, and Erin Bellaire, assistant professor of nursing and clinical coordinator at UMA, have developed an innovative model of educational partnerships with clinical affiliates to address Maine’s critical nursing shortages. They recently shared their successful program at a poster showcase which was part of the inaugural Rural Issues Symposium held at the University of Maine. Their model, first implemented in collaboration with MaineGeneral Health in 2021, allows bedside nurses to serve as clinical educators while maintaining their hospital roles. “This model demonstrates economic stability for increased quality of nursing education that makes financial sense and supports the state’s workforce needs,” said Director Gauvin. “This approach provides invaluable on-site hands-on training to students, benefits nurses by retaining their pay and benefits, allows UMA to keep nursing education affordable for Maine students and fosters strong relationships between academic institutions and clinical partners.”
Jennifer Boynton, Nurse Manager at MaineGeneral Health emphasized the partnership’s importance, saying “The collaboration between MaineGeneral Health and UMA is vital for the education and experience of our future nurses. It promotes a healthy work environment and aligns with holistic nursing practices, ensuring students are well-prepared for their roles.” MaineGeneral hired nurses to serve as faculty, allowing them to work as bedside nurses and clinical trainers within their regular hours. This model, first implemented in 2021, has expanded to include Coastal Health Center, MDI Hospital and Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital.
Students benefit from training with nurses who are familiar with the hospital culture, leading to better educational outcomes and smoother integration into the workforce. Bellaire expressed her satisfaction with the model’s success, noting, “It has worked out better than I even thought it might.” Economically, nurses maintain their regular pay rates while teaching, addressing the financial disparity between bedside nurses, who typically make more, and nursing faculty at public institutions. UMA nursing students have shown a 100% retention rate as new hires at MaineGeneral Health from 2022 to 2024, compared to an average of 82% for non-UMA students.
The inaugural Rural Issues Symposium, held on November 1, 2024, at the University of Maine in Orono, showcased groundbreaking research and initiatives aimed at enhancing rural resilience and revitalization across Maine. The event showcased the University of Maine System’s commitment to fostering collaboration, innovation, and practical solutions to ensure the long-term sustainability of Maine’s rural communities from environmental, economic and social perspectives.