Maine Nursing Schools

With healthcare the focus of headlines all over the country, many people are starting to consider the benefits of a career in this field. Does this describe you? If so, why not look into becoming a nurse? There are nursing roles for every level of education, permitting you to choose the degree that suits you and advance your education as you wish.
You can make a significant difference in the lives of people in your community this way; Maine’s aging population is growing rapidly, and they have extensive care needs.

Featured Programs:

Nursing Education in Maine

The field of nursing is growing rapidly in Maine—so rapidly, in fact, that many health care employers don’t have the nursing coverage they need. As a result, the Sun Journal reports that scholarships for Maine nursing students are on the rise.

Working in the field of nursing may give you the chance to put new research to work and meet new standards of care, further enriching the lives of patients. One Maine nursing center recently started using music to help patients with dementia improve their memory and get more out of life.

Maine health care organizations are attempting to modernize their health care procedures in an effort to minimize costs and improve patient experiences. By studying in one of the many nursing programs in Maine, you can contribute to these efforts. As many health care organizations go through design changes, your nursing skills and education can be very useful.

Part of succeeding as a student involves choosing the right nursing degree for your needs and goals. If you want to become a licensed practical nurse (LPN), you may be able to earn your diploma or certificate in about one year of full-time study. If you plan on becoming a registered nurse (RN), you may complete an associate’s degree program (ADN) in about two years or a Bachelor’s degree (BSN) program in four years.

While completing your curriculum at one of the nursing colleges in Maine, you may learn about diverse subjects like anatomy, patient communication, nursing procedures, and pathology. Your education may begin with courses like Anatomy & Physiology, Foundations of Nursing Practice, and Microbiology. After proving yourself in core science courses, you may move on to advanced courses like Issues and Opportunities in Nursing, Applying Theory to Nursing Practice, Pathophysiology, Health Assessment, and Nursing Care of Adults.

In these courses, you can get practice with different demographic groups and build a diverse set of nursing skills. Furthermore, many of these classes include a clinical component. You should plan on spending several hundred hours in different clinical settings by the time you graduate.

Spending a few hours looking into scholarships every year can help you save a considerable amount of money on your education. FAME awards scholarships like the Grande Du Maine Chester Worthington Scholarship, the MaineGeneral Health Scholarship, and the OMNE Nursing Leaders of Maine Scholarship. Mercy Hospital also awards scholarships to promising nursing students. Nursing scholarships are awarded by the American Legion Department of Maine.

Your education should prepare you for the nurse licensure process, which goes through the Maine State Board of Nursing. With your RN or LPN license, you can begin applying for nursing jobs in Maine, in many different health care settings.

Nursing Degree Programs in Maine

Below you will find specific information about nursing programs available in Maine (just click on the link for the program that interests you) or general information about the programs (just scroll down the page).

Transition programs for nurses:

Graduate programs for nurses:

Entry level nursing programs:

Overview of Nursing Degree Options in Maine

Maine LPN Programs

Admissions requirements: Clear health screen, fingerprints, background check, and high school degree
Credit hour range: 30 to 36 credits
Online degree options: Not offered in Maine, since you need clinical hours to become an LPN
Licensing exams: NCLEX-PN

You want to begin working as a nurse quickly and minimize the amount of time you spend as a full-time student. A Maine licensed practical nursing degree may be the right fit for you. These programs lead to a certificate or diploma. They require little in the way of general education, so you can spend your time focusing on practical nursing skills and theory. From start to finish, an LPN program may last just one year. Much of your time is spent in clinical settings.

BSN Programs in Maine

Admissions requirements: Clear health screen, fingerprints, background check, and high school degree
Credit hour range: 120 to 142 credits
Online degree options: Not offered in Maine, since you must complete clinical rotations to get a license
Licensing exams: NCLEX-RN

Are you looking for a flexible nursing degree that offers a variety of career paths? Look into Bachelor’s programs at nursing colleges in Maine. Compared to ADN programs, BSN degrees offer much more specialized training in fields like pediatrics, OB/GYN, and psychiatric care.

As you work toward your degree, you earn no fewer than 120 credits over a period of four years. Plan on going through several clinical rotations during this time, since you must be able to adjust to working with patients of different medical needs, ages, and backgrounds. This degree is required if you want to earn a higher-level degree in the future, such as a Master’s degree or PhD.

Maine MSN Schools

Admissions requirements: A Maine nursing license and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Credit hour range: Between 30 and 56 credits
Online degree options: Only offered in some specialties
Licensing exams: Vary between specialties

At many of the best online nursing programs in Maine, you may find a range of graduate-level nursing programs. Most programs are only open to working nurses, which means you may spend less time meeting clinical requirements. That’s why some programs are available entirely online.

This is generally limited to administrative roles; those who want to become nurse practitioners, nurse anesthetists, or nurse midwives still have to meet clinical hour requirements. Most graduate nursing programs last between two and three years. If you want to move from a clinical role into a leadership role, a nurse administration degree may be the best online nursing degree in Maine for you.

DNP and PhD Nursing Programs in Maine

Admissions requirements: A Maine nursing license and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Credit hour range: 70 to 100 credits
Online degree options: Offered in some schools and specialties
Licensing exams: Vary between areas of study

Upon earning your Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree, you may start applying to PhD and DNP programs. This type of degree involves about five years of full-time study beyond your Bachelor’s degree.

Nursing Colleges in Maine with Nursing Bridge Programs

As you explore Maine nursing schools, you may discover that many institutions have nursing bridge programs. These options are different from traditional nursing programs, since they are designed for working nursing professionals or those who have a Bachelor’s degree in a different area of study.

Look at the degree you’re starting with and which degree you’d like to earn to figure out which bridge program suits you.

If you’re a licensed practical nurse or registered nurse, you may be interested in earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. LPN to BSN programs are meant to be finished in less than three years, combining general education classes and advanced nursing classes into one curriculum.

RN to BSN programs are significantly shorter; the average program lasts just 18 months. Some RN to BSN programs are available entirely online, assuming that you have enough full-time nursing experience to meet clinical requirements. Interested in a Master’s degree? RN to MSN programs are a time-saving option.

Perhaps you started your career in a different field, and you want to use your Bachelor’s degree to get into nursing more quickly. Accelerated BSN programs are the answer. The average accelerated program lasts just 12 to 18 months. Since these programs are extremely fast-paced, many schools require that students avoid outside work for the duration of the degree.

Tips for Choosing the Top Nursing Schools in Maine

Obviously, the biggest task you face right now is figuring out which nursing school is best suited to your expectations. With the information above, you should know which degree you’d like to pursue. You can cross off any schools that do not offer your degree of choice.

It’s recommended that you reach out to multiple nursing schools to get more information on their offerings. While you may learn a lot about a school online, getting additional information in the mail may help you narrow your choices further.

As you compare schools, don’t forget to look into their admissions requirements. You don’t want to spend time or money applying to programs that are too competitive for your grades and work experience. Taking this step makes it easier to focus your application efforts on the schools that you’re likely to attend.

You may want to compare your list of schools to the list of approved education programs provided by the Maine State Board of Nursing. Doing so allows you to only apply to accredited, state-approved schools. Attending an accredited school can significantly shorten the amount of time it takes to earn a license.

When you contact each school on your list, find out about their NCLEX pass rate. A high NCLEX pass rate may be indicative of a stronger program.

2017 Career Outlook for Nursing Professions

The field of nursing is changing; there’s no doubt about it. Nurses used to be relegated to routine tasks that required little in the way of clinical reasoning or decision making skills. With people living longer, health problems are becoming more complex. Healthcare facilities need nursing professionals who can handle these complex needs and work within their full scope of practice (Bangor Daily News, 2017).

Starting your nursing career at one of the licensed practical nursing programs in Maine? After passing the NCLEX-PN, you may be able to call yourself a licensed practical nurse. LPNs in Maine bring in an average of $43,680 per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2017). From 2014 through 2024, statewide demand for LPNs may swell 5% (O*Net, 2017).

If you plan on earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, you may work as a registered nurse at one of the many medical facilities in Maine. Demand for registered nurses may swell 11% by 2024 (O*Net, 2017). The average annual income for a Maine registered nurse is $63,800 (BLS, 2017).

Want to provide independent care to patients as a primary care practitioner? Look into the nurse practitioner degree programs in Maine. Nurse practitioners report an average income of $99,140 annually (BLS, 2017). Job openings for nurse practitioners may increase a staggering 25% by the year 2024 (O*Net, 2017).

The future of nursing is dependent on those who choose to get involved in this field now. Why not use your daily work to improve the quality of life in Maine and make a difference?

Some of the top employers of Registered Nurses in Maine include Maine Medical Center, Eastern Maine Medical Center, Central Maine Medical Center, Maine General Medical Center – Thayer Campus, and Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center.