A. Applicants for licensure by examination shall be required to pass the national licensing examination for licensed practical nurses. The applicant who passes the examination may be issued by the board a license to practice as a licensed practical nurse.

B. The board may issue a license as a licensed practical nurse without an examination to an applicant who has been duly licensed by passing the national licensing examination for licensed practical nurses under the laws of another state if the applicant meets the qualifications required of licensed practical nurses in this state. From July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019, upon a determination by the board that an application is complete and approved, the board shall expedite the issuance of a license pursuant to this subsection within five business days.

C. The board may issue a license to practice as a licensed practical nurse to an applicant licensed under the laws of another territory or foreign country if the applicant meets the qualifications required of licensed practical nurses in this state, is proficient in English and successfully passes the national licensing examination for licensed practical nurses.

History: 1953 Comp., § 67-2-16, enacted by Laws 1968, ch. 44, § 16; 1977, ch. 220, § 11; 1979, ch. 379, § 7; 1982, ch. 108, § 3; 1991, ch. 190, § 11; 1997, ch. 244, § 13; 2014, ch. 3, § 2.

The 2014 amendment, effective July 1, 2014, provided for the expedited licensure for nurses licensed in other states; in the catchline, added "expedited licensure"; in Subsection A, in the second sentence, after "who", deleted "successfully"; in Subsection B, in the first sentence, after "laws of another state", deleted "or by passing a state-board-constructed licensing examination prior to October 1986", and added the second sentence.

The 1997 amendment, effective June 20, 1997, substituted "passing" for "testing" following licensed by" and "state or by passing a state-board-constructed licensing examination prior to October 1986 if the applicant meets" for "state if the applicants meet" in Subsection B.

The 1991 amendment, effective June 14, 1991, inserted "is proficient in English" and made minor stylistic changes in Subsection C.

Successful passing of examination prerequisite for license. — The qualifications referred to in Subsection B clearly include the successful passing of the test pool examination or the equivalent; if the applicant's examination or mark elsewhere does not meet the equivalent standards in New Mexico, the application for licensure should be denied and the applicant required to qualify by examination. 1968 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 68-112.

Am. Jur. 2d, A.L.R. and C.J.S. references. — 70 C.J.S. Physicians, Surgeons, and Other Health-Care Providers § 20.