Nurses graduate from new WCCC program

An effort several years in the making came to fruition on December 18 when nine students received their pins from Washington County Community College’s (WCCC) first in‑house nursing program. The college has been working to establish its own nursing program in an effort to meet the high demand for nurses in Washington County.

“It’s important. We have such a shortage of nurses throughout the state,” says Anne Perry, a former family nurse practitioner who retired from being a state representative in 2024 and was summarily recruited to help lead the program. The 18‑month program started last fall.

“It’s really an intense course,” Perry says. “We throw a lot of information at them.” Prior to enrolling in the program, students must complete a year of basic health studies such as anatomy and physiology. Then they must submit an application and take an admission test to get in. “We want to know that these young adults are going to succeed.”

Perry has been impressed with the students taking the course and their willingness to shoulder the often‑challenging pace of learning the material. The process has been a learning experience on both sides, she says. “We learned a lot from these students. It’s kind of like your first-born child. They have really taught us.”

The next class is now under way, with 12 students looking to graduate next December. With the number of students training and graduating, Perry says the effect is already being felt at area hospitals.

“We have two rural hospitals in the county,” Perry says, referring to Down East Community Hospital (DECH) and Calais Community Hospital (CCH). “Rural hospitals are struggling to stay alive. The biggest thing that they struggle with is the cost of travelers,” Perry says, referring to traveling nurses. “Travelers are very expensive.” With this cohort graduating, “Calais doesn’t need any travelers.”

That’s not the case for the Machias hospital, however, and there are multiple active vacancies for nurses around the county, including in clinics and nursing homes, Perry says. “I’m hoping that our local people, if they’re able to stay in the area, will help with those needs.”

The program is a collaboration among WCCC, DECH and CCH, with the hospitals providing monetary and training support. Speaking on behalf of both hospitals, Vice President of Community Relations DeeDee Travis says they are proud to partner with the college for the program. “This collaboration strengthens our local healthcare workforce by creating career opportunities for graduating nurses right here in Washington County, while reducing our reliance on traveling nurses and improving continuity of care for our patients.”

“This first nursing pinning ceremony represents much more than the completion of a program – it reflects WCCC’s deep commitment to partnering with our local hospitals to strengthen the nursing workforce in our region,” says Dr. Tyler Stoldt, dean of enrollment management and student services at WCCC. “From the very beginning, this program was built in collaboration with healthcare partners who share our goal of expanding access to highly trained, compassionate nurses close to home. These graduates helped shape the foundation of the program, and we are confident they will make a lasting impact on patient care and community health throughout Washington County and beyond.”

This article was originally published in The Quoddy Tides on December 26, 2025 and was written by Lura Jackson.