2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 61 - Professional and Occupational Licenses › Article 3 - Nursing › Section 61-3-23.4 - Clinical nurse specialist; qualifications; endorsement; expedited licensure.

A. The board may license for advanced practice as a clinical nurse specialist an applicant who furnishes evidence satisfactory to the board that the applicant:
(1) is a registered nurse;
(2) has a master's degree or doctoral degree in a defined clinical nursing specialty;
(3) has successfully completed a national certifying examination in the applicant's area of specialty; and
(4) is certified by a national nursing organization.
B. Clinical nurse specialists may:
(1) perform an advanced practice that is beyond the scope of practice of professional registered nursing;
(2) make independent decisions in a specialized area of nursing practice using expert knowledge regarding the health care needs of the individual, family and community, collaborating as necessary with other members of the health care team when the health care need is beyond the scope of practice of the clinical nurse specialist; and
(3) carry out therapeutic regimens in the area of specialty practice, including the prescription and distribution of dangerous drugs.
C. A clinical nurse specialist who has fulfilled the requirements for prescriptive authority in the area of specialty practice is authorized to prescribe, administer and distribute therapeutic measures, including dangerous drugs and controlled substances included in Schedules II through V of the Controlled Substances Act [Chapter 30, Article 31 NMSA 1978] within the scope of specialty practice, including controlled substances pursuant to the Controlled Substances Act that have been prepared, packaged or fabricated by a registered pharmacist or doses of drugs that have been prepackaged by a pharmaceutical manufacturer in accordance with the Pharmacy Act [Chapter 61, Article 11 NMSA 1978] and the New Mexico Drug, Device and Cosmetic Act [Chapter 26, Article 1 NMSA 1978].
D. Clinical nurse specialists who have fulfilled the requirements for prescriptive authority in the area of specialty practice may prescribe in accordance with rules, guidelines and formularies based on scope of practice and clinical setting for individual clinical nurse specialists promulgated by the board.
E. Clinical nurse specialists licensed by the board shall maintain certification in their specialty area.
F. The board shall issue an expedited license to an applicant without an examination if the person has been duly licensed as a clinical nurse specialist in another licensing jurisdiction and is in good standing with the licensing board in that licensing jurisdiction. The board shall expedite the issuance of the license in accordance with Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978 within thirty days. If the board issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require that person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal. An applicant licensed under the laws of a territory or foreign country shall demonstrate proficiency in English.
History:
1978 Comp., § 61-3-23.4, enacted by Laws 1991, ch. 190, § 16; 1997, ch. 244, § 16; 2014, ch. 3, § 5; 2022, ch. 39, § 19.
ANNOTATIONS
The 2022 amendment,
effective May 18, 2022, revised provisions related to expedited licensure, provided that the board of nursing shall issue an expedited license to an applicant without an examination if the person has been duly licensed as a clinical nurse specialist in another licensing jurisdiction and is in good standing with the licensing board in that licensing jurisdiction, provided that the board of nursing shall expedite the issuance of licenses in accordance with Section 61-1-31.1 NMSA 1978 within thirty days, provided that if the board of nursing issues an expedited license to a person whose prior licensing jurisdiction did not require examination, the board may require the person to pass an examination before applying for license renewal, and provided that an applicant licensed under the laws of a territory or foreign country shall demonstrate proficiency in English; and deleted former Subsection F and added a new Subsection F.
Temporary provisions.
— Laws 2022, ch. 39, § 104 provided that a board that is required by Laws 2022, ch. 39 to change its licensing provisions to allow for new or different expedited licensure shall have rules in place and operational by January 1, 2023.
The 2014 amendment,
effective July 1, 2014, provided for the expedited licensure for nurses licensed in other states; in the catchline, added "expedited licensure"; and added Subsection F.
The 1997 amendment,
effective June 20, 1997, designated Subsection A, added Paragraph A(3) and Subsections B through E, substituted "may license for advanced practice" for "may endorse for expanded practice" at the beginning of Subsection A, and made minor stylistic changes.