New Mexico, NM | LPN Nursing Program Information

Training to become a Licensed Practical Nurse is one of the quickest ways to begin working as a nurse in New Mexico. Under the supervision of Registered Nurses and physicians, the role of the LPN can vary but often includes essential bedside care such as monitoring vital signs, giving injections and administering other prescribed medicines, dressing wounds and so on. They are also responsible for other types of bedside care such as feeding, bathing, collecting samples and maintaining medical equipment.

LPNs in New Mexico are in high demand and typically work in hospitals and other health care settings such as nursing homes, clinics and even private homes, where the median salary sits around $37,000 per year (according to BLS.gov)—slightly lower than the national average, but concurrent with the low cost of living in the state. And, as reported by the US Department of Labor , the job outlook is good for LPN’s, with higher than average growth expected, particularly in nursing homes and home care facilities.

Although Licensed Practical Nurses typically work 40 hours a week, the need for round the clock attention for patients can mean that many LPNs sometimes work nights, weekends and holidays. While not ideal for everyone, this can be beneficial for those needing flexible schedules due to other commitments such as family, school and so on—especially considering the competitive salaries earned by LPNs.

Becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse in New Mexico requires successful completion of a state approved LPN program, which typically takes about a year of full time study and is widely available through universities, colleges, and private institutions. While entry requirements vary based on the acceptance guidelines of different schools, future LPNs must have graduated high school or an accepted equivalent and complete a number of introductory undergrad courses before even applying for nursing school. Typically, an array of about ten pre-nursing courses for 30 credit hours are required for application into an LPN program, focusing on scientific topics such as human anatomy and microbiology, as well as courses that provide cognitive and emotional understanding such as psychology and interpersonal communication.

Once undergrad requirements have been completed with satisfactory grades—which can be as low as a C average or a 2.5 GPA—there is one more step before application for some programs: passing the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), which include tests of reading, math, science and English skills. It is important to note that minimum requirements for entry will not always guarantee acceptance—with many applicants for nursing programs in New Mexico, a ranking system is established at most schools of nursing that gives preference to those applicants with higher scores in prerequisite courses and pre-admission tests such as the TEAS.

After completing a successful application, LPN training requires an additional 60 or so credit hours of study, which can be done over the course of a year.  For some schools, LPN certification is receivable after the first year of a two-year Associate Degree of Nursing program, while other schools offer a stand-alone Licensed Practical Nurse Program. Regardless, courses in nursing and pharmacology prepare students for the National Counsel Licensing Examination-Practical Nursing (NCLEX-PN).

The NCLEX-PN is administered by Pearson Vue and designed in conjunction with the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. (NCSBN). It is a computer-administered examination and, at a cost of $200, is your ticket to licensure as a LPN. To take the examination, students must first apply to the New Mexico Board of Nursing and provide evidence of successful completion of a state approved LPN program or equivalent within the US, as well as submit to a criminal background check and fingerprinting—it is important to note that one must not have a criminal record to become an LPN in New Mexico. Additionally, the New Mexico Board of Nursing charges a $110 examination fee and $110 endorsement fee upon application for examination.

The exam itself may be comprised of anywhere from 85 to 210 items, 25 of which are pretest items that are not scored. The time limit is five hours and includes optional breaks. The items are designed to test competency in four areas: safe and effective care environment, health promotion and maintenance, psychological integrity and physiological integrity—with physiological integrity and safe and effective care environment receiving the most weight, respectively. Clearly, then, the candidate is tested on their ability to provide care that effectively promotes both psychological and physiological health. It is a complex test administered via sophisticated Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT), which primarily relies on multiple choice questions, but can also provide fill in the blank, multiple response, drag and drop, hotspot, and chart/exhibit based questions. Due to the sophisticated technology, no one test is the same. As a result, the NCLEX-PN is not a test to be taken lightly—it is an intensive examination that ensures prospective LPNs are well prepared to serve the needs of their patients. Certainly, the NCLEX-PN is complicated business—for more on the complexities of the test, visit the NCSBN. Rest assured that good grades and dedicated study leading up to the test should prepare one sufficiently for the test—the pass rate in 2009 was above 86 percent for first time test-takers.

The NCLEX-PN is a licensure examination. Therefore, once a sufficient passing grade is achieved (defined as -0.4200 logits on the NCLEX-PN logistic scale, a complex assessment which, simply put, holds one to a very high standard for success) a prospective LPN will receive their license to work as an LPN in New Mexico. It must be renewed every two years along with proof of 30 hours of continuing education.

Passing the NCLEX-PN and receiving your license to practice can lead to a rewarding career in itself, but can also be the first step along a path to licensure as a Registered Nurse and a Bachelor of Science, Nursing.