How do I get a New Mexico nursing license?
The New Mexico Board of Nursing licenses Registered Nurses and Licensed Practical Nurses in the state. According to the National Nursing Database, there are now 24,821 RNs and 2,985 LPNs with active licenses.
New Mexico is part of the nurse licensing agreement. A nurse who holds a multistate license from another compact state is allowed to work in the state. Thus, a nurse licensed in another compact state should not apply to New Mexico unless they are relocating.
Choose the type of nursing license
Candidates will be licensed by endorsement if they have already passed the licensure test in another state. Otherwise, they must apply via examination, and the New Mexico Board must grant them permission to take the NCLEX.
Scholarship money for nursing students may be available through the New Mexico Center for Nursing Excellence. Scholarships are available for general nursing, home health, and hospice care. The latter is granted to people who are currently employed as aides or higher in home health or hospice, and the funds are utilized to help them pursue their education.
Learn more about nursing licenses in New Mexico at the License Search website.
LPN Requirements in New Mexico
Education for LPNs
An applicant should enroll in a practical nursing program that has been authorized by the state board. There are several alternatives available. New Mexico offers a number of career ladder programs that allow students to finish practical nursing studies and test as an LPN within one year and receive an associate degree after a second year.
How to Apply for an LPN?
Before applying for a license, a graduate must have fingerprints taken; the applicant will submit the fingerprint cards along with documents authorizing a criminal background check. The background check will set you back $44.00.
Candidates who submit their applications to the New Mexico Board within 12 weeks after graduation may be granted graduate permission to work while studying for the licensure test. A potential employer must submit a request to the Board. Permission may be granted while the background check results are being processed. The practice permission is only good for a six-month period. Once the exam results are received, the candidate will either be awarded a permanent license or their authorization will be revoked.
The candidate must register for the NCLEX-PN at Pearson (www.vue.com/nclex). The candidate will pay the $200 fee in advance, but permission to test (ATT) will not be granted until eligibility has been determined. According to the Board, if the candidate provides Pearson with an email address, the ATT may arrive sooner. Within the ATT’s eligibility window, the candidate schedules a computer-adaptive exam.
If a candidate fails an attempt, he or she must request for re-examination and pay the New Mexico Board a fee of $60. The candidate may take the test up to four times each year but must wait at least 45 days following each unsuccessful attempt before taking it again.
Endorsement as a Licensed Practical Nurse
Candidates seeking endorsement must show proof of licensing from the state where they first obtained their license. In most cases, candidates for endorsement must show that they finished a program that has been approved. LPNs must meet New Mexico’s educational requirements unless they were certified before July 1, 1969. Military personnel who completed the national licensing exam and obtained their LPN license before July 1, 1977, may be eligible for endorsement.
If a Canadian nurse has passed the NCLEX and been licensed in another U.S. state, they are eligible for licensing through endorsement. (If they don’t, they’ll have to take the NCLEX.) Fingerprinting should be done prior to application, and fingerprint cards should be supplied with the first application papers.
The application price for an endorsement candidate is $110 unless the candidate wishes to work under temporary permission while their documents are processed (in which case the charge is $160). Fees are included on the application, so candidates should double-check that they have the most up-to-date information.
Requirements for Registered Nurses in New Mexico
Application for RN Licensure
An RN should finish a curriculum that has been authorized by the board.
Once the applicant has finished their educational requirements, they will apply to the New Mexico Board. A certificate of eligibility from a New Mexico program may be received by the Board. Final transcripts from US programs can be used to establish exam eligibility. (Foreign programs will be assessed before consideration.)
There are a lot of costs associated with the licensing process. The cost of the application is $110, the background check is $44, and the exam is $200. Since they go to different organizations or agencies, they can’t be combined.
The applicant can register for the licensure exam through email (www.vue.com/nclex) or phone (1–866–496–2539). A candidate notice is available on the Pearson website. Before booking a test, the candidate will wait for an ATT to arrive in the mail or through email. The Board will award a license after receiving notification of passing.
Licensing is merely the first step in the educational process. The New Mexico Rural Nurse Residency is a training program for new registered nurses who work in hospitals with less than 200 beds.
RNs from other states
An RN who passes the NCLEX-RN in another jurisdiction may be licensed through endorsement. It is required to get your driver’s license verified. The Board notes that license verification may be requested before the application is received.
International Nurses
If the nurse did not get her nursing education in English or pass an English language licensure test, she must demonstrate competence by taking one of the following exams: the IELTS, TOEFL, or TOEIC.
