University of Maine School of Nursing

10/13/2026

Have you signed up for the Black Bear 5k yet? This could be you! Sign up by this Friday, October 16 through the SON to get your free t-shirt and we’ll see you at the starting line! 🐻🏁

10/06/2026

The University of Maine’s Family Nurse Practitioner program prepares advanced practice nurses to provide primary care in Maine rural communities and beyond.

Our graduates achieved a 100% first-time APRN certification exam pass rate for three consecutive years, and our current population represents students from 8 of Maine’s 16 counties. Our alumni practice from Fort Kent and Presque Isle to southern Maine.

93% of our alumni began their careers as FNPs in Maine, with 4 in 5 reporting working within one hour of their hometown.

These results highlight the power of educating nurses close to home: building a high-quality workforce with strong community connections and supporting Mainers’ access to primary care.

10/02/2026

Our face when someone mentions the Black Bear 5k 🤩 Don’t forget to sign up using the QR code around Dunn Hall—we’ll see you at the starting line on October 25! 🏁🐻

10/01/2026

We’re feeling thankful today! Dr. Dastoor and our own Sarah Hanscome were recognized at the UMaine Women’s Soccer Faculty Appreciation game this week ⚽️ Thank you both for making such positive impacts on your students! Shoutout a professor in the comments who’s made a difference in your UMaine journey! 💙🐻

09/28/2026

We have a lot to celebrate at the University of Maine School of Nursing, and the outcomes that mean the most to us come from our students.

For two years in a row, 98% of graduating seniors from our BSN program said they would recommend UMaine Nursing to a friend. That speaks to the people who teach, mentor, advise, support, and learn alongside them every day.

Our students are also moving toward their goals: 82% return after their first year, and our graduates have achieved a 95.6% first-time NCLEX-RN pass rate over the past three years.

Behind every number is a future nurse, and, eventually, a patient or family whose life they will touch. We are proud to provide a high-value public nursing education for the people of Maine and beyond. 🐻🩺

09/25/2026

There’s no doubt that nursing school is difficult, but we try to make room for some fun, too 😜Happy Friday, Black Bears!

09/24/2026

Congratulations to Molly, RN, BSN, UMaine Nursing ’23, on receiving a DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses at MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's Hospital!

A parent who nominated Molly described a frightening time when their child developed new symptoms. Molly listened, took their concerns seriously, and watched over their son so the parent could rest a little easier.

Molly’s recognition highlights what nurses do every day: bring clinical knowledge, judgment, and compassion together when patients and families need them most. Evidence-based, high-quality care includes listening, responding to concerns, and helping families feel heard and supported. Every patient deserves that care.

Molly, we are proud to call you a UMaine Nursing alumna. Your care reflects the nursing practice we hope every graduate will carry to patients and families across Maine and beyond. 💙🐻

Molly, a nurse at MaineHealth Barbara Bush Children's at Maine Medical Center Portland, has earned a DAISY Award for her care of a pediatric patient experiencing a health crisis. The parent’s nomination, submitted by the child’s parent, shares how Molly’s support helped his parents manage their fears:

“Molly cared for our son, and for us, with extraordinary compassion during one of the most stressful and uncertain times. As parents, we were terrified watching him develop new and concerning symptoms without a clear understanding of what was happening. Throughout the experience, Molly was attentive, calm and compassionate. Most importantly, she validated our concerns and made us feel heard, respected and supported.

One of the hardest parts of having a child in the hospital is knowing when and how to advocate appropriately. Fear, anxiety, exhaustion and sleep deprivation can make it incredibly difficult to know when to push harder and when to trust the process. Molly took that burden completely off my shoulders. She heard my concerns and took it from there.

Knowing she was watching our son so carefully allowed me to finally rest a little easier in the middle of an overwhelming situation.”

The DAISY Award® for Extraordinary Nurses was created to recognize and honor the compassionate care nurses provide every day to the patients they serve. It is celebrated in over 5,400 healthcare facilities and nursing schools in 34 countries.

Congratulations, Molly!

09/23/2026

Fall is in the air…which means it’s almost time for the Black Bear 5k! Grab a flyer in Dunn Hall to sign up and get your free t-shirt. We can’t wait to see you at the starting line on October 25! 🏁🐻

09/18/2026

Celebrating excellence in nursing and having a lot of fun while doing it!

The UMaine School of Nursing team had so much fun celebrating our award-winning faculty members, Sarah Hanscome and Eva Quirion, at the ANA-Maine Annual Awards Soirée.

We are deeply grateful for the faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and community partners who bring our mission to life each day. Together, we are humanizing healthcare and preparing the next generation of nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse scientists, and nursing leaders.

Thank you to ANA-Maine for recognizing excellence across Maine’s nursing community and to Orono Brewing Company, founded by proud UMaine alumni, for hosting the event.

Pictured: Nursing students Emma, Adrienne, and Ian, with faculty members Hanscome, Smith, Barnes, and Drs. Savage, Sibley, Strout, and Quirion.

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