Officials at Southwest Tech in Fennimore are making plans to expand its nursing program with the help of $450,000 from area hospitals. With the additional funding, Southwest Tech plans to enroll nursing students twice per year, with the goal of graduating more students more often to address the state’s nursing shortage. Six area hospitals have joined the effort: Platteville’s Southwest Health, Memorial Hospital of Lafayette County in Darlington, Grant Regional Health Center in Lancaster, Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital and Clinics, Crossing Rivers Health in Prairie du Chien and Richland Hospital and Clinics in Richland Center. Each hospital pledged $75,000 to be paid in the next three years to help Southwest Tech. The college usually admitted nursing students each August. Starting in 2023, it will also enroll students in January. Cynde Larsen, executive dean of health sciences at Southwest Tech says this should help get people into the associate nursing degree program sooner, and put them into the workforce earlier than if they had to wait for August.
