Esquibel to oversee
NMCC medical programs
Dr. Esquibel
PRESQUE ISLE — Northern Maine Community College nursing instructor Dr. Kimberly Esquibel has been appointed by President Timothy Crowley to serve as chair of the nursing and allied health department. Esquibel succeeds Betty Kent-Conant, the long-serving chair of the department who retired from the College this year after three decades of service.
Dr. Esquibel has been on the faculty at NMCC since 2000. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member for St. Joseph’s College in Standish.
“I am pleased that Dr. Esquibel has agreed to serve as the new chair of our nursing and allied health department. Kim has demonstrated a strong commitment to her students, colleagues and toward the mission of the College,” said Crowley. “I am confident she will provide excellent leadership.”
In addition to her work as a nursing instructor, Esquibel has considerable experience as a practicing nurse. She worked for eight years as a per diem staff nurse in the inpatient psychiatric unit at The Aroostook Medical Center and has held several nursing positions at Cary Medical Center, including emergency room/phone triage nurse manager, staff educator, nurse manager in the medical/surgical, oncology and specialty clinics unit, and senior nursing supervisor/intensive care unit charge nurse.
Last year Esquibel earned her doctor of philosophy in psychology from Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She also holds a master of science degree in nursing education from St. Joseph’s College of Maine, a master of public administration with an emphasis in health services management from Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., and a bachelor of science in nursing from Auburn University as well.
She belongs to a number of professional organizations, including the National League for Nursing, Maine State Nurses’ Association, American Nurses’ Association, Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Northern Maine Health Care Coalition and the County Health Education Resources group.
Last fall, Esquibel was appointed by the National League for Nursing to serve as an NLN Ambassador. As a participant in this elite corps, Esquibel is responsible for keeping faculty and administration informed about the NLN’s initiatives, grant opportunities, conferences, publications, workshops, and other benefits available to NLN members.
The nursing and allied health department at NMCC offers five academic programs. In addition to the associate degree nursing program, other offerings include medical assisting, emergency medical services (EMS), emergency medical technician (EMT) intermediate and paramedicine.
In the 2009-2010 academic year a total of 142 students were enrolled in programs offered through the department on the Presque Isle campus, as well as through distance education course offerings at two off-campus centers, the Houlton Higher Education Center and the St. John Valley Center in Madawaska. A recent survey of the four Aroostook County hospitals showed that the nursing staffs at three numbered between 50 and 65 percent NMCC graduates.
MEMBERS OF THE NORTHERN MAINE COMMUNITY COLLEGE information technology staff and campus safety committee include, from left: Dave Guerrette, occupational safety instructor; Barry Ingraham, director of physical plant and technology; Robert Smith, information systems support specialist II; Karl Jackson, business technology instructor; and Shawn Lahey, information systems support specialist I.
