Practical Nursing Program Comes to Colville

Read the Spokesman-Review article | Read the Spokane Public Radio article

Spokane Community College (SCC) plans to launch a practical nursing program at its Colville campus in July 2026, aiming to bolster the healthcare workforce in northeastern Washington. 

The program will initially admit four students annually, with potential expansion to eight, depending on clinical placement availability. Nursing students will gain real-world experience through clinical rotations at local hospitals—including Providence’s Mount Carmel in Colville, St. Joseph’s in Chewelah, and Ferry County Hospital in Republic. Ferry County’s chief nursing officer noted the region’s reliance on travel nurses and emphasized that a localized pipeline could yield long-term retention. 

Given Washington’s projected 26% statewide nursing shortage by 2035, the initiative is seen as a crucial step toward sustainable staffing in rural communities.

 

 

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