| NMCC home to Aroostook County Health Care Professionals Wall of Distinction |
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Four leaders in the health care profession that either currently work and live in The County or have ties to the region comprise the inaugural class of the Aroostook County Health Care Professionals Wall of Distinction. The wall of honor, the concept for which was developed by faculty in the nursing and allied health department at Northern Maine Community College, was unveiled to the public for the first time during a reception and induction ceremony on May 5. More than 80 people attended the event held in the mezzanine area just above the lobby of the Christie Building at NMCC, which serves as the entry to the nursing and allied health wing at the College. The ceremony also marked the start of National Nurses week, which officially begins each year on May 6 and ends on May 12, which is Florence Nightingale's birthday. "The nursing and allied health department faculty desires to honor persons who have been associated with the healthcare programs of study and have made vital contributions to the education of students and to the healthcare profession at large. It is an opportunity to publicly thank those individuals who have given back to the community through their many acts of professional service," said Betty Kent-Conant, chair of the nursing and allied health department at NMCC. "Honorees are role models to emulate for both students and practitioners alike. In the spirit of completing accomplishments, they bring pride to the profession and to those with whom they work." The first individuals to be inducted include Betty Baulch of Washburn; Kris Doody of Caribou; Jane Mattila of Pinewood, Minnesota; and Dianne Raymond of Mapleton. Betty Baulch, formerly Betty Clark, led the nursing and allied health department at NMCC for more than 12 years before her retirement in 1994. It was during her tenure as department chair that the associate degree nursing program was approved as a pilot program. Prior to that, the College had offered only a diploma-level program for practical nursing. She was presented the Director's Award (forerunner of the President's Award) partly as a result of her efforts in making the program a reality. Baulch began her employment at the then Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute in 1968, teaching and providing clinical supervision to practical nursing students in Houlton. When the Houlton program closed in 1973, she moved to the Presque Isle campus. Baulch earned her BSN from BatesCollegeBoston hospitals. She additionally earned a masters in education degree in 1980 from the University of Maine. While at NMCC, she served on the Maine State Board of Nursing for more than 10 years, taking on the role of president three times, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing for eight years. in 1957, in a five year program that included two years of clinical experience in Kris Doody is the CEO of Cary Medical Center in Caribou. She earned a master of science in business from Husson College in 1997, a bachelor of science degree from the University of the State of New York in 1994, and an associate of science degree in nursing from the University of Maine in 1983. Doody is well known throughout Maine as a leader in the healthcare industry. She currently serves on the executive committee of the Maine Hospital Association and as a trustee on the Maine Community College System Board of Trustees. Jane Matilla is a lieutenant commander with the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. She currently works as senior staff nurse at the Red Lake Indian Health Service Hospital in Red Lake, Minnesota. A native of Minnesota, Matilla lived in central Aroostook for several years and during that time earned her associate degree in nursing from Northern Maine Technical College, a forerunner of NMCC, in 1997 and a bachelor of science in nursing degree from the University of Maine at Fort Kent in 1999. She also worked as both a psychiatric and float nurse for The Aroostook Medical Center between 1997 and 2000. Dianne Raymond is a partner in Central Aroostook Psychiatric Services, LLC (CAPS), which offers psychiatric services to residents throughout northern Maine. She earned a certificate from Husson College in April 2003 in the psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner program, a doctor of science in nursing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1996, a master of science in nursing from the University of Texas at El Paso in 1987, a bachelor of arts in behavioral science from the University of Maine at Presque Isle in 1983, an associate of science in nursing from the University of Maine at Augusta in 1982, and a diploma in practical nursing from Northern Maine Vocational Technical Institute, a forerunner of NMCC, in 1976. Raymond has worked for The Aroostook Medical Center in several capacities and as a faculty member at both NMCC and UMFK. "The inaugural honorees have been selected for their exemplary service to nursing, nursing education, the profession, and the healthcare recipients of their care. Whether in nursing service or education, they have risen above the bar and worked to make many dreams a reality. These four individuals have been positive change agents and have worked tirelessly for the nursing program, the college, the region, state, and at a national level to improve nursing and healthcare," said Kent-Conant. "It is both fitting and appropriate that they be given the proper recognition for their roles in fostering professionalism and lifelong contributions. We are proud to honor the first four honorees to the Healthcare Wall of Distinction at NMCC." Baulch, Doody, Matilla and Raymond were honored through tributes prepared and presented by NMCC nursing faculty. Afterwards, photos of each of the inductees were unveiled. Criteria for selection to the Health Care Professionals Wall of Distinction include demonstrated commitment to health care, commitment to health care education, and contribution to the larger community of health care. Plans are to honor new inductees annually each May around the time of National Nurses Week. The class of inductees will also be recognized each year at the Nursing Pinning Ceremony, which is held in the week leading up to commencement and signifies the entry into the nursing profession for the graduating class of associate degree nursing students at NMCC. |