FARMINGTON, ME (April 24, 2025)—Nursing students at the University of Maine at Farmington are gaining professional experience and confidence in their clinical skills in the new state-of-the-art UMF Nursing Simulation Laboratory, or sim lab. The UMF / UMA Nursing Program and its newly opened sim lab help prepare nursing students for real-world patient care and growing the critical Maine healthcare workforce.
(Left to right) Sierra Shirley, a nursing student from Wilton, receives hands-on clinical experience in the UMF Sim Lab under the guidance of Haley Tripp, RN, UMA lecturer of nursing. Shirley received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from UMF in 2022 and has been working as an EMT at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. The UMF Sim Lab location has been ideal for her schedule as a working professional as she pursues her degree in nursing.
The UMF/ UMA Nursing program is unique in that it offers Farmington nursing students a full four-year residential college experience including the opportunity to participate in NCAA Division III athletics.
It is also a first-of-its-kind dual degree program in the University of Maine System where Farmington graduates in the program can earn both a UMF Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Professional Studies and a UMA pre-licensure Bachelor of Science (BSN) degree in Nursing.
“Farmington is committed to providing every student with the best fit for their personal, academic and career goals. Our collaborative nursing program balances a traditional residential college experience with a professional career focus. Our program gives students a great college experience that leads to a successful career, while also helping to build a robust healthcare workforce for Maine,” said Joseph McDonnell, UMF president.
The UMF Nursing Simulation Laboratory creates a realistic clinical environment that is designed to provide students with hands-on clinical experiences that promote practice readiness upon graduation. It includes a human patient simulator where students encounter medical situations with symptoms, diseases, and conditions common in a traditional clinical setting allowing them to apply conceptual knowledge in practice environments.
A control room adjacent to the lab allows Haley Tripp, RN, UMA lecturer of nursing, to adjust patient vitals, add complications and provide a voice for the patient through the manikin. This provides students with opportunities to develop nursing skills, teamwork, interdisciplinary communication, critical thinking and clinical judgment skills.
Alex Clark, UMF student in the Farmington cohort, is practicing medication administration through a central line. A skill learned in the Adult I lab. Nursing students in the background include (left to right) Sierra Shirley, Rumford cohort; Becca Douin, Augusta cohort; Miranda Charest, Augusta cohort; and Dannaka Holt, Rumford cohort.
“I always knew I wanted to work in the medical field and having a sim lab on the Farmington campus is a huge benefit to my career goals and my quality of life. UMF offers a very affordable option compared to out of state nursing programs and being close to my family and friends provides me with the best of both worlds,” said Alex Clark, a UMF nursing student in the Farmington cohort.
Farmington nursing students complete their general education requirements taught by UMF faculty during their first two years, all while enjoying the college residential experience. They advance to their nursing sequence as juniors and seniors with courses, through distance synchronous modalities, provided by UMA nursing faculty. Students can complete their clinical rotations in a variety of local healthcare settings, many within an hour of the Farmington campus.
As recently reported by the Maine Nursing Action Coalition, the number of licensed nurses in the state increased from 25,235 in December 2021 to 27,433 in August 2024, primarily because of the greater output of nurses by educational institutions led by UMS. However, the report notes that despite this promising workforce growth, because of the rapid rise in the number of Mainers aged 65 and older, who require two or three times more healthcare resources, the shortage will actually increase to more than 2,800 nurses by 2030.
The UMF program will help to meet Maine’s continuing needs for qualified nursing as it enrolls a new cohort of first-year students to the dual degree program each fall. Cohort-based learning has students’ progress through a program together providing support, collaboration and community. The first cohort of UMF students is expected to graduate in 2026.
“Now in its fourth year, the collaboration between the UMA Nursing Program and UMF continues to provide students with a unique opportunity to engage in campus life at UMF while earning a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from UMA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Studies from UMF. This partnership is dedicated to delivering high-quality, holistic nursing education that meets the critical needs of rural healthcare in Maine through UMA’s distance education model,” said Dr. Shannon Gauvin, UMA nursing director and program coordinator.
“By integrating simulation activities throughout the curriculum, we ensure that students graduate with confidence and are fully prepared for practice. The program strives to offer labs and clinical experiences in the Farmington area, expanding access to nursing education and strengthening workforce development in Maine’s rural communities,” added Gauvin.
This program prepares students to sit for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and enter the field as registered nurses. The UMA Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and endorsed a holistic nursing program by the American Holistic Nurse Credentialing Corporation (AHNCC).
For more information or to apply visit: UMF / UMA Nursing Program.
More on University of Maine at Farmington
A nationally recognized public liberal arts college known for its commitment to the creative arts, teacher preparation, the health arts and sciences, the environment, business and public service, UMF provides a challenging yet supportive environment to prepare students for both careers and further study. Located in the heart of Maine’s four-season outdoor recreational region, UMF is a welcoming, close-knit academic community that prepares students for enriching professional careers, engaged citizenship and an enduring love of learning.
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2025/04/RP245-034A-scaled.jpg
Photo Caption: (Left to right) Sierra Shirley, a nursing student from Wilton, receives hands-on clinical experience in the UMF Sim Lab under the guidance of Haley Tripp, RN, UMA lecturer of nursing. Shirley received her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from UMF in 2022 and has been working as an EMT at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington. The UMF Sim Lab location has been ideal for her schedule as a working professional as she pursues her degree in nursing.
Photo Credit: UMF Image
Image: https://www.umf.maine.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1/2025/04/RP245-034B-scaled.jpg
Photo Caption: Alex Clark, UMF student in the Farmington cohort, is practicing medication administration through a central line. A skill learned in the Adult I lab. Nursing students in the background include (left to right) Sierra Shirley, Rumford cohort; Becca Douin, Augusta cohort; Miranda Charest, Augusta cohort; and Dannaka Holt, Rumford cohort.
Photo Credit: UMF Image
