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V O L . X X V I N O. I JA N UA R Y 1 3 , 2 0 2 0 24 2 0 2 0 E C O N O M I C F O R E C A S T F O C U S H E A LT H CA R E New training programs look to ease nursing shortage B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r A lthough Maine's nursing shortage hasn't been solved, it's been slowed by a new push to expand enrollment in nurse training programs across colleges and universities, says Terry Colby, professor of nursing at the University of Maine at Augusta and co-chair of a nursing workforce group across the Kennebec region. "From the educational standpoint, all of the nursing programs have been working hard to increase enroll- ments and thereby, hopefully, increase graduation rates and the number of nurses in practice," she says. is year the University of Maine at Augusta will continue its work with hospitals in central Maine to provide students experience in the clinical setting. "Hopefully, we'll make the clinical education part more accessible in a variety of hospitals — not only the bigger ones like MaineGeneral, Togus and Pen Bay, but also some of the smaller, rural hospitals," Colby says. "We're increasing our efforts to find a way to utitze the smaller facilities, increase student placement and increase interest in working in rural areas after graduation." Need for teachers as well It's not just nurses that are in demand. ere's also an effort to address the shortage of nurse educators. e campaign involves creating partnerships between hospitals and schools in preparing nurses to work as clinical adjunct faculty. "ere have been more efforts and resources to make that an easier process and an effective one," she says. Colby sees these efforts play out at UMA's centers in Rumford, Rockland, Ellsworth, Brunswick and Augusta, where students have started their first year of nursing program classes at each campus. "ey'll start clinical classes in 2021 and hope- fully graduate in 2024," she says. Bringing the program to students in more areas around the state helps to increase enrollment, she notes. Other initiatives around Maine focus on keep- ing nurses in Maine once they've graduated, and attracting nurses from neighboring states, she notes. "ere's a real effort from all of the schools of nurs- ing to make nursing education accessible to students," she says. "All of the nurse education leaders are coming together on these efforts, so that we're not competing with each other but working together." L O B S T E R I N D U S T RY Fishery remains strong, but whale regulation looms B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r M aine's lobster fishing industry faces a new round of potentially drastic modifications to its gear in order to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale. e industry also grappled this year with a shortage of herring, the fishery's favored bait. But the fishery has been generally stable over the past year and is expected to remain so through 2020, says Kristan Porter, president of the Maine Lobstermen's Association. "If you're in a wild-caught fishery, you're always wondering what the catch will be in the next year, whether it will be early or late, what the price will be, what your expenses are going to be," he says. Maine's lobster fetched $484.5 million in 2018 — the largest share of the overall fishery, which was worth $637.1 million in 2018. e final numbers aren't in yet for 2019 landings. But lobsters were slow to arrive July through September, and it's expected landings will show a decrease from 2018's 119.6 million pounds, although there's some expectation that strong catches October through December could make up for the lower summertime landings, he says. "As a state, the catch will probably be down some," Porter says. "But it's not going to be drastic ... We're coming off a series of record catches. I don't think anyone thinks we can break records year after year after year." Even if the catch is down, prices are up at least 20% to 25% over 2018, pushed by strong demand. In 2020, the industry will continue to work with the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative to build demand and prices, with a focus on the domestic market, he says. e industry has its eye on potenial new regula- tions aimed at protecting right whales. For now, aside from additional markings on gear, the bulk of regulations would not hit in 2020. "at's looming," Porter says. "I don't know what we can do other than wait and see what the feds propose." New federal rules in 2021 might require more traps per line in order to reduce the number of vertical lines in the water. "We're optimistic for next year," Porter says. "Like anything, you don't know what's going to happen going in, especially in a fishery that's controlled by Mother Nature. We do the best we can to manage it correctly, but there's always uncertainty." As a state, the catch will probably be down some. But it's not going to be drastic. — Kristan Porter Maine Lobstermen's Association There's a real effort from all of the schools of nursing to make nursing education accessible to students. — Terry Colby University of Maine Augusta P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F U M A P H O T O / L A U R I E S C H R E I B E R Terry Colby, professor of nursing at UMA Kristan Porter, president of the Maine Lobstermen's Association, predicts the fishery will remain stable through 2020 but could experience some upheaval with new rules to protect the North Atlantic right whale. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E

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