Westfield State nursing program adapts to change

By RON C HIMELIS rchimelis@repub.com

When Linda Thompson travels around Western Massachusetts to talk about nursing, her message is not only consistent, but persistent.

The Westfield State University president says it’s never too early for students to consider a nursing career. Letting students know what to expect and how to get there, she said, is essential to delivering a pipeline of new nurses into the health care field — something virtually every medical professional agrees is urgently needed.

“How do we talk to a student who is still in high school, so that they understand the depth and breadth of the field? So that they know what they need to take in high school?”