New Mexico offers nurses a good salary, affordable lifestyle, and picturesque sunsets. The state's 13,780 RNs and 4,090 LPNs earn an average annual salary of $67,720 and $45,490, respectively, about the same as the national average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The southwestern state is known for its arts, cultural activities, and hot air balloons. There are job openings for nurses at many of the state's 50 acute-care hospitals and demand is growing for RNs.
New Mexico has about a half dozen nursing schools offering LPN to RN (ADN and BSN) programs. They include:
National American University School of Nursing in Albuquerque offers an accelerated LPN to ADN track through its campus-based Nursing Mobility Program that leads to RN licensure. Most students have jobs before graduating from the nursing school, which maintains an educational philosophy that emphasizes caring, ethics and life-long learning.
Eastern New Mexico University at Roswell offers an LPN to ADN program in collaboration with Central New Mexico University in Albuquerque. Students begin their study for an associate degree at ENMU and complete the nursing courses leading to RN licensure. Associate degree graduates can take an entry level job as an RN or matriculate to the BSN program at ENMU for advanced training. Advisory and mentoring services are available to guide nursing students from their first semester through the completion of the BSN degree.
Luna Community College offers a career-ladder nursing program. Students transition into the program's first level with prerequisites that enable them to be eligible for licensing as a Practical Nurse in one year. The second level is an LPN to ADN track leading to RN licensure. The program emphasizes life-long learning to meet the needs of a changing healthcare system. RN graduates are prepared to provide competent healthcare services to diverse populations in predominantly rural regions of New Mexico.
