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How to Become a Nurse in New Mexico, NM

Becoming a nurse in New Mexico can be confusing at times. While it is an inn depth process, it can be summed up in three simple steps: prerequisites, training and licensure examination.

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Step 1: Prerequisites

Although one-year Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) programs don’t always require prerquisites, Registered Nurse (RN) education programs do. These can vary from college to college, but mainly focus on introductory-level undergraduate training in topics like english, psychology and math.

Step 2: Training

Aside from the aforementioned LPN diploma, most nurses choose one of two RN education programs in New Mexico: a four year Bachelor of Science, Nursing (BSN) or a two year Associate Degree, Nursing (ADN). The first year of all training programs is pretty similar, and focuses on baseline clinical skills and knowledge directly related to patient care. The second year then introduces larger-scale concepts and theories of nursing and nurse management, with the third and fourth year for those in a BSN going into greater detail and including advanced theory, research, and management education. Additionally, there is more room in a BSN for students to pursue topics of particular interest to themselves, like community health,, radiology, or really any health topic you can think of—as long as the course is offered in your program.

Step 3: Licensure Examination

Nurse licensure is obtained nationwide through the same test: The NCLEX, of which there are both LPN and RN versions. It is a comprehensive exam, but nursing students are well prepared and over 85 percent graduate on average nationwide. This can vary from program to program, and it is worth checking the pass rates in your program of choice.

Further Reading

To obtain more information on becoming a nurse in New Mexico, please visit our New Mexico Nursing page, which discusses wages, jobs, and how to become a nurse in New Mexico in further detail.