Vision Statement
The University of Maine at Fort Kent (UMFK), Division of Nursing envisions an environment that promotes excellence, innovation, and creativity in the educational preparation of baccalaureate nursing graduates.

Mission Statement
As an integral part of its parent institution, The Division of Nursing is committed to quality liberal arts education of nurse leaders serving rural northern Maine and beyond. Our mission is to educate caring, competent, professional nurses who participate in maintaining, promoting, and optimizing the ever-changing health and well-being of clients and communities.

Program Description/Goals
The University of Maine at Fort Kent offers an accredited professional baccalaureate nursing program founded upon the liberal arts and sciences. Over the course of study, students gain knowledge and skill in the social, behavioral, biological, and nursing sciences. Graduates are employed in a variety of practice settings to assist individuals, families, and communities to maintain, promote, and optimize their health and well-being. This program of study fosters the personal and professional growth of students, enhancing the creative and intellectual abilities of those who wish to pursue advanced clinical and academic studies.

Each nursing major must complete a minimum of 120 hours of credit, including the general education core, nursing prerequisites, and nursing core courses as outlined on the individual program plan. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is awarded a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in nursing and is eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). As part of the licensure application process, arrest and court records of final adjudication for any offense other than a minor traffic violation must be submitted for review to the Maine State Board of Nursing. The Maine State Board of Nursing may refuse to grant a license on the basis a criminal record for convictions denominated in Title V Chapter 341 Section 5301 Subsection II of the Maine Revised Statutes Annotated. Applications of those who have been convicted of a felony and whose civil rights have been removed are considered to be incomplete until documentation that civil rights have been regained.

In keeping with the institutional mission and divisional goals, the Division of Nursing promotes an environment of respect and support for all persons regardless of gender, race/ethnicity, creed, or abilities. Students with special needs are advised to refer to the "Students with Disabilities" section of this catalog.

In fulfillment of this mission, the Division of Nursing will:

• provide responsive, quality baccalaureate nursing education that fosters and facilitates the development of professional nurses prepared to meet the health care needs of a multicultural society;
• develop creative and innovative educational methodologies that serve a diverse student population;
• prepare professional nurses as generalists who will become leaders in promoting, maintaining, and optimizing healthy communities;
• provide a community-based liberal arts educational program that utilizes a holistic approach focused on health promotion and optimal wellness;
• prepare professional nurses who will meet evolving technology and health care needs within a complex society;
• promote professional skills, values and responsiveness to the greater community;
• provide opportunities for faculty to pursue scholarly endeavors such as teaching, practice, service, and research;and, develop, foster, and maintain collaborative partnerships with the community and other institutions.

Program Outcomes
In the preparation of graduates for the multifaceted role of the professional nurse, the University of Maine at Fort Kent, Division of Nursing, has adopted the following essential nursing program outcomes:

1. Upon graduation the student will be able to critically think as evidenced by:
   • using appropriate nursing theories, models, and ethical frameworks to formulate sound clinical decisions;
   • engaging in self-reflection and collegial dialogue to guide professional practice;
   • demonstrating independent and interdependent decision making, clinical judgement, and creative problem solving;and
   • evaluating data and nursing interventions for patient care outcomes, questioning inconsistencies, and allowing for revisions to the nursing care plan.
2. Upon graduation the student will be able to effectively communicate as evidenced by:
   • managing the complex, ongoing interactive processes that form the basis for building effective working relationships within an interdisciplinary team;
   • demonstrating proficiency in communication of many forms(e.g.,written, verbal, nonverbal, listening, and technological);
   • using therapeutic communication within the nurse-client relationship
   • assisting clients to correcly interpret the meaning and validity of health information;and
   • appropriately adapting communication methods to various situations.
3. Upon graduation the student will be able to demonstrate technical skill proficiency as evidenced by:
   • performing, teaching, delegating, and supervising current and future psychomotor, mechanical, and computer skills, safely, ethically, and competently.
4. Upon graduation the student will be able to provide evidence-based quality care in direct and indirect patient care settings as evidenced by:
   • applying therapeutic, competent, and holistic care to developmentally and socioculturally diverse clients in a variety of settings;
   • managing and facilitating care through coordination and collaboration with other care providers;
   • utilizing evidence-based nursing interventions to provide care to individuals, families, and communities;
   • practicing within the scope of the Maine Nurse Practice Act, ANA standards of Clinical Practice and Nursing anbd the ANA Code of Ethics
5. Upon graduation the student will be able to teach and learn as evidenced by:
   • drawing from a strong liberal arts foundation;
   • embracing lifelong learning to promote health and well being during client and collegiate interactions;
   • remaining current in scientific knowledge and therapeutic interventions;and
   • planning, implementing, and evaluating various teaching/learning activities with individuals, groups, and communities.
6. Upon graduation the student will be able to lead as evidenced by:
   • applying theoretical and experiential knowledge and creativity to designing, coordinating, and managing care.
   • using information from numerous sources as the professional nurse guides the patient through the health care system.
   • developing the essential skills of communication, collaboration, negotiation, delegation, coordination, and evaluation of interdisciplinary work;
   • applying evidence-based practice models;and
   • developing policies and strategies to promote health and wellness.
7. Upon graduation the student will be able to utilize research as evidenced by:
   • locating pertinent, credible information from multiple sources;and
   • critiquing, using, and promoting the use of evidence-based findings in practice.
8. Upon graduation the student will be able to demonstrate professionalism as evidenced by:
   • committing and adhering to the norms, beliefs, values, and standards of the discipline as designated by professional organizations such as the American Nurse's Association(ANA);
   • demonstrating professional role behaviors including autonomy, service orientation, self-regulation, ethical behavior, and knowledge base acquisition, which are based on a distinct theoretical body of knowledge specified in the Maine State Practice Act, the ANA Standards of Clinical Practice, the ANA Code of Ethics, and the ANA Social Policy Statement;
   • valuing participation in the unified contribution of collective professional nursing activities, assemblies, organizations, etcetera;and
   • developing a political activist commitment to the profession.