Staff members selected for rural nursing education program

Published 1:30 am Friday, August 7, 2026

PORT TOWNSEND — Four staff members at Jefferson Healthcare have been selected to participate in the state Department of Health’s Rural Nursing Education Program.

The program, designed to strengthen the registered nurse workforce in rural areas, will enable the participants to complete a remote nursing education program while working at Jefferson Healthcare.

The selected participants include Philip Bischof, a surgical technician; Segopotso “Elsey” Eaton, a medical assistant in oncology; Corey Siders, an emergency room technician; Shale Shore, a licensed practical nurse with Home Health and Hospice, who was selected for the program’s LPN-to-RN pathway.

The program provides tuition support, academic advising and other services to help employees at critical access hospitals complete nursing education programs.

Students complete prerequisite coursework followed by nursing school; clinical education takes place locally.

“We are incredibly proud of Philip, Elsey, Corey and Shale,” said Tina Toner, chief nursing officer. “Their dedication to patient care and their commitment to continuing their education exemplifies the future of rural healthcare. Programs like RNEP allow us to invest in our own employees while creating sustainable pathways to address the nursing shortage in our community.”

In addition to Jefferson Healthcare, the Rural Nursing Education Program is partnered with 14 of the 39 critical access hospitals in the state, including Forks Community Hospital.

Forks Community Hospital nominated three of its employees for the program and reports that all three were selected. Two will start in 2027 and the third will begin in 2028.

“I feel programs like RNEP are especially valuable for rural healthcare organizations,” said Kelly Thompson, the chief nursing officer at Forks Community Hospital. “They provide local healthcare professionals with the opportunity to advance their education without having to leave their jobs or relocate, helping us develop and retain a highly skilled workforce right here at home.”

Olympic Medical Center, which is not a critical access hospital, is not eligible to participate in the program.

For more information, visit https://waportal.org/health-initiatives/rural-nursing-education-program.