Left to right: Gabrielle Roy, Meagan Blanchette, Melissa Belanger and Anna Cressy on the first day of orientation for the newly licensed nurse residency program at York Hospital, July 2021.
York Hospital is grateful to the Baldwin Family Foundation and family members for supporting a newly licensed nurse residency program designed to advance educational excellence, improve patient outcomes, and address workforce development challenges in Southern Maine. The Diana Baldwin Dunnan Fund for Nursing Excellence will allow York Hospital to administer two orientation sessions per year, each comprised of four newly licensed registered nurses (RNs). The expanded program provides an optimal shared peer experience and supports the new graduates in transition by promoting critical thinking and assessment, clinical skills, confidence through the use of preceptors and immersion with a clinical team.
“The Baldwin Foundation is pleased to continue the Baldwin Family’s support of York Hospital with a special focus on the training of local nurses,” offered D. Stuart Dunnan, President. “This was always our grandmother Winifred Baldwin’s particular concern and why her daughter, Diana Baldwin Dunnan, continued her parents’ support of the hospital for over 30 years after they died, both as president of the foundation and with her personal giving. This is why my sister and brother-in-law, Winifred and Thomas Faust, and I wanted to make our own personal commitments to the hospital as well, in order to fully fund this very important program—just as our mother would have done.”
Maine’s aging Baby Boomer population, climbing rates of chronic diseases, and a growing emphasis on preventative care present strong career opportunities for nurses. While many imagine tourism to be Maine’s lead industry, health care actually employs more workers than any other job sector in the state and critical worker shortages have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
A portion of the current staffing shortage may be attributed to a lack of nursing schools, although in Maine, barriers to the profession often center around the training that follows. A limited number of hospitals with specialized programs can mean a limited opportunity to gain much needed practical experience. Additionally, costs for clinical training are considerable. At York Hospital, the overall investment is $25,000 per student and encompasses the preceptor, new graduate compensation during a 12-week orientation and incidental costs and expenses incurred by nurse educators during the program. York Hospital is fortunate to partner with the Baldwin Family Foundation to provide this support, and proud to share that the retention rate for these nursing cohorts is currently over 87%.
York Hospital President & CEO, Dr. Patrick Taylor added, “Philanthropy is one of the pillars that sustain an independent nonprofit hospital, and York Hospital is grateful for the decades of financial support provided by the Baldwin Family Foundation under the guidance of Diana Baldwin Dunnan. With their loyalty and generosity, we have been able to offer extraordinary education and advancement opportunities to our nursing staff, as we also fortify our mission to care for our community, now in particular, when it matters so much. Due to Mrs. Dunnan’s foresighted philanthropy, and the Baldwin Family’s unwavering commitment to our community, The Diana Baldwin Dunnan Fund for Nursing Excellence at York Hospital will inspire and inform our nurses.”
Community members and partner organizations who wish to provide philanthropic support to York Hospital may contact the Community Relations Office at 207-351-2385, via email at [email protected], or visit www.yorkhospital.com/giving-back to make an online donation.