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Description
The need for primary care nurse practitioners reflects Maine’s demographics. All 16 Maine counties have designated Medically Underserved Populations. The UMaine School of Nursing was awarded a 4-year $1.9 million grant in 2023 to strengthen its Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) program, with a focus on the care of vulnerable patients in rural, underserved areas. The Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) program’s overarching goal is to increase the number of FNPs prepared to provide primary care services, including mental health and substance use disorder care, and/or inclusive reproductive health. FNP trainees are recruited from their communities and receive tuition and other financial support to ensure degree completion as educational costs prevent registered nurses from advancing their role. Curriculum enhancements and continuing education opportunities for students, faculty, and clinical preceptors have been developed to address emerging rural health needs and develop a state-wide network to support population health. As of May 2024, seven trainees have graduated, 21 trainees are matriculated, and recruitment is ongoing. A preceptor-training module has been developed with a state-wide pilot launching in Fall 2024. ANEW has implemented programming on manual-based cognitive behavioral psychoeducation, providing disability inclusive care, telehealth best-practices, integrated behavioral health, and addiction medicine. The collaborative effort of ANEW partnering with Maine’s healthcare organizations and interdisciplinary educational programs showcases the varied interventions to develop rural-practice ready FNPs.
Publication Date
10-28-2024
Recommended Citation
Sibley, Sean, "Increasing Rural Maine's Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Workforce" (2024). Rural Issues Symposium. 99.
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/rural_issues/99