When Eilish Quirion, RN, of Derby, Vermont, was growing up, she didn’t have to look far to find her role model. Her father, a nurse for more than 30 years, showed her what true compassion looks like – not in words, but in steady, everyday acts of care.
“The compassion and dedication he has for his patients and community was shown to me at such a young age,” Eilish said. “I wanted to continue to do the same.”
That seed of inspiration grew into a career built on resilience, teamwork, and service. Today, Eilish is a Registered Nurse at North Country Hospital, where she’s spent nine years in the Emergency Department, six of them as Charge Nurse. Her days are fast-moving and unpredictable, defined by quick thinking and deep collaboration.
“My day-to-day role changes at any given minute,” she said. “It’s a lot about re-prioritization, critically thinking, and helping other staff with their patients – while keeping the department calm and positive.”
In small hospitals like North Country, that calm leadership can make all the difference.
A Vermont-Grown Journey into Health Care
Eilish’s path into nursing began right here in Vermont. As a high school student, she participated in MedQuest, a program of the Northern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC), that gave high school students hands-on exposure to a variety of health careers by shadowing professionals in local hospitals and clinics.
Through MedQuest and additional job shadowing in the Emergency Department and Progressive Care Unit, Eilish began to see not only what nurses do – but who they are.
“Getting to see how our local hospital takes care of our small community made me quickly realize that I was meant to work in healthcare in a small town,” she said.
Her advice for students exploring health careers is simple but powerful:
“Seek every opportunity possible for job shadowing. Even if you do not think you are interested in that specific field. There is always something you can take from an experience.”
Those early opportunities, she said, shaped not only her career but her character – helping her see that health care in Vermont is deeply personal, neighbor-to-neighbor work.
Caring for Rural Vermont: The Heart of Community Health
Working in a critical access hospital comes with unique challenges and rewards. Limited resources mean nurses and staff wear many hats.
“We’re the jack of all trades,” Eilish said. “Working in a critical access hospital, we do not have a Cardiac Cath lab or a lot of other specialties. [Our goal is] to get patients stable enough to be transported to a higher level of care.”
But what rural healthcare lacks in size, it makes up for in humanity.
“You are known by name – you’re not just a patient known by their room number. You’re somebody’s grandmother, somebody’s cousin, somebody’s neighbor. That kind of care is second to none.”
That closeness creates accountability – and pride. “You want to be proud of the person you are inside and outside of work,” she said.
It also creates impact beyond the hospital walls. Eilish emphasized the importance of CPR education and accessible AEDs in rural communities. When more Vermonters are prepared to act, it can make all the difference before care even begins.
“Those bystanders knowing basic life support have given the best outcome possible when the patient arrives into our emergency department,” she said.
The Changing Face of Nursing – and Why It Matters
Eilish’s story also highlights how much the nursing profession has evolved. Nurses today lead in technology, data, administration, and education – all while keeping patient care at the center.
“Once you obtain your nursing degree, it opens a very large door of opportunities,” Eilish said. “You could work bedside for a few years, and then end up working in computers, home health, administration. Nursing is so much more than bedside now.”
As Vermont faces ongoing workforce shortages, especially in rural regions, stories like Eilish’s show why supporting health career education and mentorship matters more than ever. Her path – from MedQuest student to Emergency Department leader – is a blueprint for what Vermont can achieve when young people are encouraged to explore, train, and stay.
“The continued compassion that the older generation of nurses have passed down,” she said, “is what I hope the next generation continues.”
Caring for Vermonters, Strengthening Vermont
When asked what “caring for Vermonters” means to her, Eilish didn’t hesitate:
“It means we care for everybody equally.”
That simple statement captures the spirit of Vermont’s healthcare workforce – people who know their patients as neighbors, their work as a calling, and their compassion as a force for community strength.
Eilish’s story is one of thousands unfolding across Vermont’s hospitals, clinics, and classrooms – proof that when we invest in career exploration and education, we’re investing in the future of rural health.
As we celebrate Vermont Health Careers Awareness Month, her story reminds us that healthcare is not only about the work of healing – it’s about the heart behind it. It’s about the Vermonters who dedicate their skills and hearts to keeping their communities healthy, connected, and cared for.
About Vermont Health Careers Awareness Month
Each October, the Vermont AHEC Network celebrates the people and programs that inspire, train, and sustain our state’s healthcare workforce. From MedQuest and HERO Mentoring to AHEC Scholars and community-based internships, AHEC helps students across Vermont explore rewarding careers that strengthen the state’s health system – and the communities at its heart.