This Nurses Week, New Mexico’s nursing community has a new reason to celebrate.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham recently signed HB 178 into law – a significant update to the state’s Nursing Practice Act that expands opportunities for nurses and strengthens the profession’s ability to serve communities across the state.
The legislation, which took several years to pass, was shaped through sustained advocacy from nurses, educators and professional organizations, including the New Mexico Nurses Association. Among them was Barbara Damron, PhD, LHD, MSN, RN, FAAN, a longtime nurse leader and professor at The University of New Mexico College of Nursing, who supported the bill through multiple legislative sessions.