Physician duties · NP · New Mexico
Signing for a Nurse Practitioner in New Mexico: what the physician takes on
No agreement is required, so the terms are whatever you both negotiate. Nurse Practitioners practice independently in New Mexico, so any agreement is voluntary.
New Mexico has granted NPs full, independent practice authority since 1994 — no supervising or collaborating physician relationship is required from licensure onward. NPs may serve as medical directors in New Mexico, unlike PAs.
What you take on as the physician
The rules the physician relationship has to follow. Each fact comes from the statute or board rule listed under sources.
Proximity
No proximity requirement
No physician proximity/availability requirement is codified for NP practice.
Supervision ratio
Not codified — no cap on file
Chart review
Not codified — left to the agreement
Meeting cadence
Not codified — left to the agreement
Prescriptive authority
Covered by the practice agreement · controlled substances permitted
May independently prescribe dangerous drugs and Schedule II–V controlled substances (§ 61-3-23.2, NMSA) per Board of Nursing rules/formulary (16.12.2 NMAC); requires state controlled-substance registration and DEA registration.
Written agreement
Not required
Unconditional — no collaborative or supervisory agreement is required for NP practice at any point.
Practice ownership (corporate practice of medicine)
Licensee-only ownership required — New Mexico professional corporations must be owned entirely by licensees of the same profession — an NP may independently own an NP-only PC/PLLC without physician co-ownership.
Legal sources for these rules (3)
What physicians charge for this role
Typical monthly compensation in New Mexico
$500 – $600
Estimate for one Nurse Practitioner. Standard-tier state.
About New Mexico's rules
New Mexico has no corporate-practice-of-medicine doctrine (1987 A.G. opinion) — non-physician entities may employ physicians if clinical judgment isn't controlled — but professional corporations must still be single-profession owned (a PA/NP/etc. entity can't mix ownership with physicians). NP/CRNA/CNM/CNS practice independently with full prescriptive authority (Schedules II–V); PA remains the outlier requiring ongoing physician involvement.
Other clinicians in New Mexico: see the state overview.