Montgomery County Community College celebrated the graduation of 28 nursing students last Tuesday, with graduates joining a field facing continued high demand across the region.

The Dr. Stuart H. & Sandra K. Fine Nursing Program graduates participated in a traditional pinning ceremony at the college's Blue Bell Campus. The program's graduates consistently exceed state and national averages on licensing exams, with a 93% first-time pass rate on the National Council Licensing Examination for Registered Nurses.

Pennsylvania Sen. Maria Collett, a former trauma nurse, delivered the ceremony's keynote address, highlighting the critical need for nurses in the state.

"Pennsylvania needs leaders like you in the field, and patients need advocates like you on their side," Collett said.

The graduation comes as registered nurses remain in high demand, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting a median annual salary of over $86,000 and projected job growth of 6% over the next decade.

Graduates can immediately enter the workforce or transfer to bachelor's degree programs at institutions including Drexel University, Penn State University and West Chester University.

The program's graduates typically find employment at hospitals, physicians' offices and clinics throughout Montgomery County and surrounding areas.

Student speaker Caitlyn McKelvy emphasized the profound impact nurses have beyond emergency care.

"There is equally as much honor in caring for someone in the smallest of ways," McKelvy told her fellow graduates.