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Work for ME 2023

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volved placing job listings and then sifting through the re- sponses for the most suitable candidates. But MacLaren says that approach is no longer suf- ficient, and that employers are much more proactive now. For example, Northern Light works with third-party firms that have all the needed infra- structure to recruit nurses from other countries, she says. About 80 such nurses were working within the health care system on a temporary basis as of March, with the option to convert them to permanent hires if both employer and employee agree to it. "They often come accompa- nied by their families," MacLaren says. "What we've found is that, in some of our communities in particular, we are, by virtue of those relationships, diversifying our communities." Community organizations including the Maine Multicultural Center and Portland Adult Educa- tion have become vital partners in Northern Light's recruiting efforts, she says. It even works collaboratively with other health care systems in the state on tal- ent acquisition and workforce development. Those efforts include educat- ing young people about the many career paths they can pursue within the broader health care field beyond just being a doctor or a nurse. Health care tends to be a difficult career with high stakes and long hours, MacLaren says. Part of Northern Light's outreach involves showing students that it can also be very rewarding, with ample opportunities for career development. Another way in which Maine's health care providers have stepped up their commitment to work- force development is by provid- ing instructors to assist colleges and universities with the clinical component of their programs, says Sharon Baughman, MaineHealth's chief nursing officer. The number of clinical in- structors is often a limiting fac- tor, particularly in rural areas of the state, she says. MaineHealth has been providing some of its own employees to help meet the need. That's a change from the recent past. "We, of course, can't staff ev- ery college in that way," Baugh- man says. "We're helping out as much as we can, and we are trying to make some inroads into the rural areas." The pandemic put a lot of strain on Maine's health care workforce, she says, and many nurses left the profession as a result. One of MaineHealth's goals is reassure those interested in en- tering the profession that they'll receive all the support they need for a long and rewarding career. "Nursing is a very stable ca- reer to go into," Baughman says. "Salaries continue to increase … and it's a career you can go into knowing that you will have a career for your lifetime, if that is what you want to do." Colleges stepping up Colleges and universities have been key players in the effort to meet Maine's health care work- force needs. For example, UNE trains students in a broad range of professions including dental hygienists, pharmacists, public health experts, nutritionists and many others, says Karen T. Par- due, the university's associate provost for strategic initiatives. "We're the premier educator here in Maine and throughout northern New England when you think about health professions," she says. "We have Maine's only medical school, dental school, physician's assistant program and nurse anesthesia program. … We also have the state's largest prelicensure nursing program." There has been tremendous student interest in all of those professions, Pardue says, but Maine still needs more health care professionals, particularly after the many departures prompted by the pandemic. Thankfully, institutions such as UNE have greatly expanded their programs and are employing new tools such as virtual reality to make learning easier and more effective. "UNE's nursing program is now three times the size it was 10 years ago," Pardue says. The Maine Community Col- lege System also produces many health care workers through its various health science degree and certificate programs for nurses, radiographers, respiratory ther- apists, occupational therapist assistants, physical therapist assistants, medical assistants and EMTs. Kathryn Englehart, vice presi- dent and dean of academic affairs at Kennebec Valley Community College, says some community college nursing programs, includ- ing KVCC's, are increasing their class sizes in the fall as the result of additional funding appropri- ated by the Legislature. While much of the focus is on training more nurses, Engle- hart says, Maine is experiencing a shortage of workers across all areas of health care. "There's a tremendous amount of pressure to educate more (stu- dents)," she says. "I don't think you'll find a health care profes- sion that isn't in high demand. For example, our workforce has educated I think 120 to 150 basic EMTs this year. That was just un- heard of until now." n H e a lt h C a r e « C O N T I N U E D F R O M P R E V I O U S PAG E S u n n i e r f o r e c a s t f o r n u r s i n g A 10-year forecast conducted by Cypress Research Group in 2016 found that Maine health care providers would experi- ence a 20% shortage of registered nurses by 2025, totaling 3,200 RNs, due largely to an aging workforce. However, the forecast was updated in 2022 and found that, thanks to a higher-than-expected number of younger nurses entering the workforce, the projected shortage in 2025 had decreased to only 9%, or 1,450 nurses. The report found that early-career RNs entering Maine's workforce each year increased from 700 in 2016 to 875 in 2020 and 2021. Assuming retention rates, retirement levels and other factors stay the same, the state would need to add another 147 early-career RNs each year to offset the expected shortage in 2025. The forecast, conducted for the Maine Hospital Association and Maine Nursing Action Coalition, found that in 2021, Maine providers were experiencing a 17% shortage of RNs statewide, due in part to increased demand and staff retirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic. n P H O T O / C O U R T E S Y O F N M C C Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle offers training in emergency medical services. W O R K F O R M E / S P R I N G 2 0 2 3 28

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