Family Nurse Practitioner Programs in New Mexico

New Mexico FNP Programs

Typical curriculum for MSN programs vary based on the specialization and track selected. Many programs prepare students for certification as a Nurse Practitioner. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, NP programs should provide theoretical and evidence-based clinical knowledge that prepare students for national certification in their anticipated area of population-focused practice.

However, entry-level core NP competencies are the same regardless of population-focus and include education in: Management of Patient Health/Illness Status, The Nurse Practitioner-Patient Relationship, The Teaching-Coaching Function, Professional Role, Managing and Negotiating Health Care Delivery Systems, Monitoring and Ensuring the Quality of Health Care Practices, and Culturally-Sensitive Care. This coursework is supplemented with required clinical hours. Most NP programs can be completed in 2-4 years.

Online MSN Programs in New Mexico

Eastern New Mexico University

Eastern New Mexico University in Clovis offers an Online Master of Science in Nursing with an emphasis in Nurse Educator. The program may be completed on a part-time basis within two years; students who opt for full-time enrollment may complete the program in 16-20 months. The vast majority of students (95%) are employed full-time as RNs while enrolled. The University has the second lowest tuition for master's level education in the United States.

New Mexico State University

New Mexico State University in Las Cruces has an Online Master of Science in Nursing Administration. The program is open to nurses who are licensed RNs and possess a bachelor's degree in nursing. Delivered 100% online, this degree may be completed within 2 - 2.5 years.

Typical Curriculum for a Master's in Nursing Degree

Some programs prepare students to be Nurse Educators. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, nurse educators must have a solid clinical background, strong communication skills, and a high level of cultural competence. The Nurse Educator MSN at Eastern New Mexico University prepares students to create nursing curricula in both academic nursing education and professional staff development, design a contextual nursing program curriculum, and analyze qualitative and quantitative research to make evidenced-based nursing practice decisions as an educator. Students are prepared to be instructors at associate and baccalaureate-level programs at degree completion.

Another common path is to seek an MSN that prepares students for administrative or clinical leadership roles. Students who enroll in the Nursing Administration MSN at New Mexico State University, for example, should expect to take classes in health policy, management in human and fiscal resources, nursing informatics, evidence-based practice, and quality improvement.

Licensure in New Mexico

Nurses who graduate from MSN programs that prepare Nurse Practitioners are licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) by the Board of Nursing. Requirements for licensure include current RN licensure and current national certification. APRN prescriptive authority has additional requirements, including at least 400 hours of work experience in prescribing drugs or completion of a prescriptive authority preceptorship within the previous two years.

NPs in New Mexico have full practice authority. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, this means that NPs are allowed to practice to their full scope without requirements for a written collaborative or supervisory relationship with a physician. This is considered to be an ideal practice environment.

Nurse educators and nurse leaders may be licensed as either an APRN or RN, depending on their individual training and educational background.