The New Mexico Board of Nursing (Board) was enacted in June 1923, and is a regulatory agency directly reportable to the Executive office of the Governor. The Board of Nursing is supported solely by self-generated fees and is a fully self-funded agency.
The Board was established with the mission to “Protect the public safety through effective regulation of nursing care and services” and the vision of the Board is “Excellence in Regulatory Practice”. The strategic goals of the Board are to: (1) Advance Nursing Systems; (2) Maximize Effectiveness in Public Protection; and (3) Maximize Effectiveness in Customer Service.
The Board’s regulatory responsibilities include: issuing licenses and certificates for practice in the state; monitoring licensees and certificate holders; monitoring and approving schools of nursing and UAP programs; and taking disciplinary action against licensees or certificate holders who are not in compliance with state statutes, or who exhibit unsafe practice. The regulatory process assures citizens of New Mexico that nurses, hemodialysis technicians, and medication aides have met minimum competency requirements through testing and licensing and ongoing demonstration of competency through renewal requirements. As a means to safeguard the public, the Board also administers the Diversion Program for nurses whose competencies may be impaired because of the abuse of alcohol or drugs.