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A faculty member and student from the ɫ����ƵDepartment of Nursing were invited to present the Upstream Practicums in Nursing program at Gray is the New Green – Unleashing the Power of Older Workers + Volunteers to Build a Stronger Northern New England. The conference was held in Concord, New Hampshire and was hosted by the Tri-State Summit Learning Collaborative on Aging.

Assistant Clinical Professor and Upstream Practicums in Nursing Program Coordinator Judith A. Metcalf, APRN, BC, M.S., and Courtney Wilson ’17, a student in the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program gave the presentation during a panel discussion titled, “Growing Our Health Care Workforce to Meet the Needs of an Older Population.”

The panel highlighted innovative initiatives happening in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont around efforts to address the shortage of health care professionals. Panelists explored the region’s response to the growing shortage of health care workers, particularly nurses, and how these programs, strategies and resources promote quality of life, health and living for an older adult striving to live safely in their own home and community.

The Upstream Practicums in Nursing Program is a 2-year grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded to the ɫ����Ƶ Department of Nursing to offer senior ɫ����Ƶ Nursing students an immersion in community health nursing. Through this immersion, students receive essential knowledge, skills and cultural competencies to enter the workforce in community-based settings.

ɫ����Ƶ Department of Nursing has created an academic/community partnership with Greater Portland Health (GPH) to promote community-based learning for students while improving the health of clients. GPH is a Federally Qualified Health Center serving the greater Portland, Maine community and focuses on three underserved populations: immigrant and refugee families, elders and the homeless.

ɫ����Ƶ senior nursing students from both the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program as well as the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program are recruited and complete a 135-hour clinical practicum rotating through the various GPH clinics. These Upstream students participate in team-based, interdisciplinary person-centered client care, provide education, learn about distinct cultures and cultural sensitivity and humility, continue to develop clinical skills, refine communication skills, participate in care management for complex clients, become more familiar with transitions of care through a community lens and learn about essential community referrals and resources.

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