Nursing Fares Well in 2006 Legislative Session

New Mexico Nurse, Apr-Jun 2006 by Siegle, Linda

The 30 day legislative session ended with a whimper at noon on Thursday, February 16th. Both chambers frozen from filibustering were unable to pass some of the perceived "essential" legislation. Nursing, however fared very well. After years of "educating" legislators about nursing issues especially the shortage, many legislators now get it.

The state budget includes $3.5 million for New Mexico schools of nursing-a $1.5 million increase from last year. This money in the Higher Education Department must be applied for each year, but enables schools to expand enrollment and retain instructors. The vital increase this year is a result of all our efforts, presentations and testimony over the last several years.

The state budget also includes $66,000 for the Nursing Educator Fund for nursing instructors to pursue their next degree. Current nursing instructors can apply to the Higher Education Department to access this money. It can be used for bachelors, masters and Ph. D degrees.

The Board of Nursing will be able to use $100,000 of their cash balances to develop the long awaited online license renewal program. A $20,000 appropriation was made to the board to study the possible licensing of military hospital corpsmen as nurses in New Mexico.

A clinical teaching institute through the Center for Nursing Excellence will become a reality with the ninety-five thousand dollars ($95,000) appropriation to the Department of Health to continue its development to support clinical education and retention of nurses.

Several schools of nursing received direct funding to expand their programs:University of New Mexico-one hundred seven thousand dollars ($107,000); New Mexico State University-one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the nursing program at the Alamogordo branch; and Western New Mexico University-sixty thousand dollars ($60,000) to expand the bachelor of science nursing program.

SIM people-patient simulators (I called them computerized mannequins) for nursing programs will now be available to the Albuquerque Public Schools LPN program; San Juan Community College; Eastern New Mexico University; Dona Anna Branch College; and an additional one at UNM.

And finally the following school will receive capital outlay money to build new nursing and allied health facilities: Eastern New Mexico University-$1.3 million for allied health center at Roswell branch campus; Clovis Community College - $3 million for allied health center; and Santa Fe Community College-$3 million for allied health center.

What a great year for nursing in the New Mexico Legislature! Be sure to thank your local legislators for his or her support for nurses and patients in New Mexico.

Linda has been the NMNA lobbyist for the last nine years