Josie Huang, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, May 21, 2010 Nursing is often touted as a recession-proof job, but even nurses have not been spared by the economy. Hospitals are laying off nurses and cutting back on hiring. That has nursing executives in Maine worrying what will happen when the economy rebounds. After Serena Howes graduated from nursing school out of state, she moved back to Maine with her daughter, convinced she would find a job in no time. ... Jobs

Catherine Pegram, WABI, October 2, 2009 Some nurses at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor are speaking out against a plan to cut two positions in the children's cancer unit. Hospital officials say it's a move to save money. Even though the two nurses are getting new jobs, union representatives say it still amounts to layoffs that are taking away from patient care. Barbara Lambarida, a labor representative with Maine State Nurses Association, says "When you're dealing with a disease such as cancer, more so when it's a child involved, the child and the family go through very difficult times emotionally and that's on-going." ... Nurses

Christopher Smith, Bangor Daily News, October 2, 2009 Bangor - Representatives from the labor union representing two Eastern Maine Medical Center nurses who will be reassigned next week took their dispute public Friday in an effort to overturn a decision they say isn’t good for pediatric cancer patients. Cokie Giles, an EMMC nurse and president of the Maine State Nurses Association, told reporters that the hospital’s decision to switch the location of outpatient pediatric oncology services, such as chemotherapy, would deprive young patients of the care they are used to from nurses they know and enjoy. ... Union

Bangor Daily News, September 5, 2007 Bangor - About 30 unionized
registered nurses employed by Eastern Maine Medical Center demonstrated
outside the Bangor hospital Tuesday morning to draw attention to what
they say is chronic understaffing on most patient units. Hospital
officials on Tuesday declined to discuss the staffing issue in detail,
but said that nursing care units are staffed appropriately and that
nurse employees have adequate input in the matter. The issue is a
cornerstone of contract negotiations, which are scheduled to take place
today, tomorrow and Friday. ... EMMC

Maureen Caristi, RNC, Bangor Daily News, May 4, 2007 You’re in the hospital, you’re in pain. Will someone be there for you when you need help? Unfortunately, the answer might be no for far too many Maine patients. Patient care standards today are rapidly eroding. One major reason is the often unbearable conditions for registered nurses who are a patient’s primary lifeline and advocate. Hospitals force them to juggle too many patients at one time, endangering patients and overwhelming caregivers. All too often, this means that RNs don’t have the time to assess and properly care for any of their patients, particularly since hospital patients today are much sicker and need more complex medical treatments than in the past. ... Bill

Linda C. Smith, Class Notes, University of Massachusetts - Amherst, Fall 2006
Joseph Niemczura completed his term as president of American Nurses Association Maine and took a teaching position at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Chris Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, October 3, 2006 The fast-growing California Nurses Association said Monday that approximately 1,500 RNs in Maine have agreed to join its ranks. The Oakland-based union said the Maine State Nurses Association is the latest group to affiliate with the CNA/National Nurses Organizing Committee. With the addition of the Maine association's roughly 1,500 RNs, CNA now boasts more than 70,000 registered-nurse members in 44 states, the vast majority of them here in California. Maureen Caristi, RN, president of the Maine State nurses, said in the Oct. 2 statement that the affiliation increases the group's "power to defend and advance the nursing profession and safe, quality health care for all." ... Maine

Join With 70,000 RNs From Coast to Coast. California Nurses Association, October 2, 2006 Oakland - The Maine State Nurses Association has voted to affiliate with the nation's premier organization of direct-care registered nurses, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee. MSNA members made the decision in their convention late Friday in Bar Harbor. With MSNA, CNA/NNOC now comprises over 70,000 RNs in 44 states, and is internationally known for winning the first minimum nurse-to-patient nurse ratios in the US, achieving unprecedented workplace improvements for nurses and patients, and growing influence in the campaign to transform healthcare. ... Maine<

Bangor Daily News, May 27, 2006

East Pittston - Alan A. Philbrook, 57, died peacefully Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at home. He was born July 12, 1948, in Dover-Foxcroft, the son of Glenn and Mary Strout Philbrook of Milo. He grew up in Waterbury, Conn., with frequent visits to Maine, to build and vacation in the family camp on Schoodic Lake in Piscataquis County. Alan was an Eagle Scout, the skills of which he used forever after in everyday living. Alan graduated from New York Maritime College in Fort Schuyler, NY, and had multiple careers in marine engineering, teaching and home building while raising a family, and back to merchant marine engineering when his children were grown. ... Alan

Lincoln County News, December 15, 2005

Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta always sets high standards for patient satisfaction. One of the top areas, according to the most recent Avatar patient satisfaction survey scores, is in nursing. As a matter of fact, Miles’ ICU nurses earned the highest score in the Avatar system.

“Our ICU nurses are phenomenal,” said VP of Nursing Cindy Juchnik. “Not only has the past year been really busy with an increase in ICU patients, but our ICU nurses have also dealt with a management turnover. To get this kind of recognition, especially after a year like that, is wonderful.” ... Miles

2005 has brought several changes for nurses in Maine. Jake Brown, advance for Nurses, December 5, 2005

... The Maine State Nurses Association (MSNA), the largest nursing group in Maine, plans to advance a bill to require mandatory numerical nurse staffing levels in hospitals ... That bill would mandate that RNs providing direct care on a general or med/surg floor have no more than four patients. In critical or intensive care areas, they would have no more than two patients under their watch, according to Patricia Philbrook, RN,C, NP, executive director of the MSNA. ... From staffing ratios

Mechele Cooper, Morning Sentinel, November 26, 2005

... "The emotional drain was much harder than anything physical we did there. ... Blizzards and ice storms do not generally wipe out our homes and place of work or worship, and neither did Hurricanes Katrina or Rita," she said. "Human errors regarding the levees caused this and human effort and energy is what is needed to help these people. When all is said and done, it is the innocent who have paid most dearly for poor financial planning. And it is human kindness that can help make it right again." ... Local

Tom Bell, Portland Press Herald, October 8, 2005

Two nurses who saved a homeless man's life in March will receive Portland's Good Samaritan Award today from the Portland Fire Department.

Julie Baither and Peggy Akers, nurses at the Healthcare for the Homeless Clinic on Portland Street, are being recognized for helping Michael Powers, 35, after his throat was slashed during a confrontation outside the clinic.

Baither, 38, of Westbrook, said she and Akers were eating lunch when someone ran into the clinic shouting that a man had been stabbed. ... Two nurses

The Associated Press, September 7, 2005

Medical personnel from the central Maine area are ready to pitch in when a second or third wave of disaster relief is needed in states ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, and some firefighters have already left to help in the relief effort.

Hospitals in the Lewiston area are working with the Maine Emergency Management Agency to plan for the coming weeks of aid. Twenty employees at the Central Maine Medical Center have agreed to help with the aid effort, said spokesman Chuck Gill. ... Maine

US Senator Susan M. Collins, Magic City Morning Star, April 30, 2005

I recently was honored to receive the ‘Friend of Nursing Award’ for the University of Maine School of Nursing and Husson College School of Nursing during a ceremony in Orono. Nursing issues - and nurse education in particular - have been a priority of mine since coming to the Senate. I was particularly pleased to be presented with the award by Theresa Steele, the Dean of Husson College’s School of Health. ... Nurses