New
Mexico Register / Volume XXV, Number 1 / January 15, 2014
TITLE 16 OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LICENSING
CHAPTER 25 VETERINARY MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS
PART 6 VETERINARY TECHNICIANS
16.25.6.1 ISSUING AGENCY: New Mexico
Board of Veterinary Medicine.
[16.25.6.1 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.1 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.2 SCOPE: These rules
apply to all registered veterinary technicians licensed in the state of New
Mexico.
[16.25.6.2 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.2 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.3 STATUTORY AUTHORITY: NMSA 1978,
Section 61-14-5, Section 61-14-6, Section 61-14-7, Section 61-14-12, and
Section 61-14-16.
[16.25.6.3 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.3 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.4 DURATION: Permanent.
[16.25.6.4 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.4 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.5 EFFECTIVE DATE: 01-17-2014
unless a later date is cited at the end of a section.
[16.25.6.5 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.5 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.6 OBJECTIVE: To establish
requirements for registered veterinary technicians.
[16.25.6.6 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.6 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.7 DEFINITIONS: [RESERVED]
[16.25.6.7 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.7 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.8 RULES GOVERNING REGISTERED
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS:
A. To
perform the duties of a registered veterinary technician in New Mexico and
receive a license issued by the board of veterinary medicine, an applicant must
meet all the requirements set forth in these rules. The following documents are required:
(1) a completed,
signed and notarized application for
licensure-RVT form;
(2) the examination
fee; and
(3) a color passport-type head and shoulders photograph of the
applicant.
B. Prior
to the applicant taking the required examinations, the application will be
reviewed to determine if the applicant has satisfactorily met the board’s
requirements.
(1) The applicant’s file must be complete
before a license will be issued. If the
required documents and information are not provided within one year of board
examination, the applicant must reapply for licensure. In addition to (1), (2) and (3) above, the
following documents are required:
(a) notarized copy of
diploma;
(b) final transcripts
from an accredited veterinary technician program; and
(c) verifications of
licensure from another state(s) or country(ies) in
which applicant is or has been licensed;
(2) pass all examinations required by the
board;
(3) meet one of the
following requirements:
(a) the applicant is
a graduate veterinary technician or a senior student of a two year or longer
program accredited by the American veterinary medical association; or
(b) the applicant has
a current valid permit or license from another state(s) or country(ies) with similar requirements to New Mexico, as approved
by the board.
[16.25.6.8 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.8 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.9 EXAMINATIONS:
A. Examinations
shall be held as specified by the board of veterinary medicine.
(1) Applicants must pass the American
association of state veterinary boards (AAVSB) veterinary technician national
examination (VTNE) administered by the professional examination service (PES)
with the passing grade established by PES.
(2) Prior to taking the VTNE, applicant must
apply for sponsorship by the board. The
list of all fees relating to examinations is set out at Subsection C of
16.25.6.9 NMAC and is posted at the board’s web site at www.nmbvm.org. In
addition, the applicant must take and pass with a minimum score of 75%, the New
Mexico veterinary technician licensing examination.
B. No
application shall be acted upon until the examination fee is received by the
executive director of the board of veterinary medicine. If the board deems an applicant ineligible
for examination, fees will not be refunded.
C. The
list of fees relating to examinations is as follows and is posted at the
board’s web site: www.nmbvm.org.
(1) state
jurisprudence examination:
(a) board set dates,
January and May - $75; or
(b) date selected by
applicant - $100;
(2) VTNE:
board sponsorship - $50.
D. Limitations:
(1) Once the fees have been submitted to the
board, the fees cannot be refunded.
(2) An applicant has a one year time limit
within which to take the state examination.
E. Any
applicant requesting an examination or re-examination by the board, other than
board-set examinations, shall submit the application for review by the
board. If the board determines that
there is sufficient justification for administering a special examination, the
expense of such special examination shall be borne by the applicant requesting
the examination.
F. An
applicant failing the examination may retake the entire examination at a
scheduled time and will be charged the full examination fee.
G. The
executive director will notify candidates of the examination results within 30
days of the date of the examination.
[16.25.6.9 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.9 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.10 RENEWAL OF LICENSE: A list of all
fees relating to renewal of a registered veterinary technician license is
listed at Subsection D of 16.25.6.10 NMAC and at the board’s web site:
www.nmbvm.org.
A. A
veterinary technician’s license expires and is due for renewal each year on the
last day of December. If a registered
veterinary technician’s license lapses and is not renewed within five years,
they must reapply, retake and pass the examination before they can obtain
licensure, NMSA 1978, Section 61-14-12.
B. A
registered veterinary technician license is lapsed if the license renewal is
not postal postmarked on or before the December 31 expiration date.
C. Registered
veterinary technicians shall display at the business location, in full view of
the public, the current year license renewal certificate.
D. License
fees:
(1) initial license
fee is prorated from date of license issue to last day of December;
(2) annual renewal
fee - $75; and
(3) late renewal
penalties:
(a) postal postmarked
no later than 30 days after December 31 expiration date - $25; or
(b) postal postmarked
more than 30 days after December 31 expiration date - $25 plus $5 per day not to
exceed $300.
E. Continuing
education.
(1) Each registered veterinary technician
licensed to practice in New Mexico must certify that he has completed at least
eight hours of approved continuing education during the preceding year. The hours will be derived from seminars,
short courses, or scientific programs approved by RACE, AVMA, NAVTA, or
sponsored by a veterinary medical association, veterinary organization,
university, or by the board. There will
be no exemptions for age or retirement.
(2) A waiver of delinquent hours may be
granted by the board if a request is made in writing. The hours must be made up in the next
calendar year and is in addition to the current year annual CE requirement.
(3) Continuing education hours will be
accumulated on an annual basis from January through December.
(4) A maximum of eight credit hours may be
accrued as excess and carried forward to the subsequent licensing year.
(5) A form to be completed by the registered
veterinary technician at the time of annual renewal will be provided by the
board of veterinary medicine.
(6) The burden of proving the validity of the
reported hours lies solely with the registered veterinary technician.
(7) A new licensee must comply with the
continuing education requirement beginning the next full licensure year after
graduation.
(8) In general, CE must be in the form of
contact hours. Credit for non-contact
forms of instruction including online training or articles in printed
periodicals is accepted, if the instruction:
(a) is designed for
veterinary technicians; and
(b) non-contact hours
do not comprise more than half of the annual requirement of eight CE hours.
[16.25.6.10 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.10 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
16.25.6.11 ADDRESS
CHANGE NOTIFICATION: Throughout his period of licensure, every
board licensee must notify the board in writing within 30 days of any change of
address. A change of address form is available at the board’s web site. All correspondence will be addressed to the
executive director of the New Mexico board of veterinary medicine.
[16.25.6.11 NMAC - N,
01-17-2014]
16.25.6.12 SUPERVISION OF REGISTERED
VETERINARY TECHNICIANS:
A. A
registered veterinary technician’s professional activities must be under the
supervision and direction of a licensed or license-exempt veterinarian.
(1) Direct supervision: Treatment of animals at the direction, order
or prescription of a licensed veterinarian who is available on the premises and
has established a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship. NMSA 1978, Section 61-14-2(I).
(2) Indirect supervision: Treatment of animals when a licensed
veterinarian is not physically present at the location but has given written or
oral instructions for treatment of the animal; the animal has been examined by
veterinarian at such times as good veterinary medical practice requires
consistent with the particular delegated veterinary care task; and the animal
is not anesthetized.
(3) The following life
saving aid and procedures a registered veterinary technician may perform
under prior approval of the licensed veterinarian in the absence of direct
supervision includes:
(a) application of
tourniquet and/or pressure bandages to control hemorrhages;
(b) administration of
pharmacological agents to prevent or control shock, including parenteral
fluids, and shall only be continued after direct communication with a licensed
or license exempt veterinarian.
(c) resuscitative
oxygen procedures;
(d) establishing open
airways including intubations but excluding surgery;
(e)
external cardiac resuscitation;
(f) application of
temporary splints or bandages to prevent further injury to bones or soft
tissues;
(g) application of
wound dressings and external supportive treatment in severe burn cases; and
(h) external
supportive treatment in heat prostration or hypothermal cases.
[16.25.6.12 NMAC - Rp, 16.25.6.11 NMAC, 01-17-2014]
HISTORY OF 16.25.6 NMAC:
Pre-NMAC History: The material in this part was derived from
that previously filed with the State Records Center:
BVE Rule No. 75-2, Rules
Governing the Professional Conduct of Veterinarians, filed 12-5-75.
BVE Rule No. 76-1, Rules
Governing Veterinary Technicians, filed 3-5-76.
BVE Rule No. 76-1,
Amendment No. 1, (BVE Rule No. 78-1) Pertaining to Veterinary Technician
Emergency Care, filed 10-30-78.
BVE Rule 79-5, Rules
Governing Veterinary Technicians, filed 9-21-79.
BVE 88-5, Rules Governing
Veterinary Technicians, filed 10-14-88.
BVE 92-5, Rules Governing
Veterinary Technicians, filed 5-22-92.
BVE 93-5, Rules Governing
Veterinary Technicians, filed 6-3-93.
History of Repealed Material:
16.25.6 NMAC, Veterinary
Technicians, filed 3-15-04 - Repealed effective 01-17-14.