Currently, according to figures from the Ministry of Health, until 2019 more than 500 thousand nurses were registered in the country. Of which women stand out as they represent 85 percent of the human resources in this profession.
Nursing is considered by the population as one of the most respectable professions
The Survey on Public Perception of Science and Technology (ENPECYT) 2017, published on the website of the INEGI. It reports that nursing is considered by the population as one of the most respected professions, after firefighters and inventors, in that order.
This noble work can be traced through different eras to pre-Columbian Mexico. Among the Aztecs, Dras. Patricia Cuevas and Dulce M. Guillén in the article “Brief History of Nursing in Mexico.” Those wounded in combat were treated in the tuihuacan (hospital) by male nurses. In parallel, women also practiced nursing, especially as midwives. Both were identified by the word ticitl, “the man or woman who was dedicated to the care of the sick.”
During colonial times, the various religious orders cared for sick people. Some of the tasks that the nurses performed were healing in hospitals and prisons and they earned 50 pesos a year. To exercise this care, they did not need any license.
The School of Nursing
At the end of the 19th century, nurses were paid 8 pesos 25 cents a month and covered long hours of work. During the day, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., while at night, from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. On February 9, 1907, the School of Nursing was inaugurated.
During the Mexican Revolution, nurses actively participated in assisting those wounded in battle. An example of this was “Refugio Estévez Reyes (Mother Cuca). Who in the line of duty received a bullet in the neck on the left side. He tolerated the projectile throughout his life in the carotid region, at the level of the fourth cervical vertebra ”.
Already within the modern history of the country, nursing had an important role not only in the care of sick and injured people. But also as disseminators of knowledge to prevent diseases and protect the health of citizens.
The School of Health of Mexico, founded in 1922 and origin of the current School of Public Health of Mexico (ESPM) of the National Institute of Public Health. It gave way to professionalization from the perspective of public health with the teaching of the first “visiting nurse” course in 1925 with 31 students.
The profile of the nursing staff was adapted to respond to care in rural areas
These, as well as subsequent generations, were trained to reduce infant mortality mainly. As well as to participate in health campaigns focused on reducing infectious diseases. In addition, to disseminate hygiene measures that were not always well received by the people, since sometimes the health brigades were subjected to attacks.
As the 20th century progressed, the profile of the nursing staff adapted to respond to care in rural areas. The increase in non-communicable diseases. As well as strengthening health services in terms of operation and administration.
In addition to the training of new human resources with new knowledge, for a better performance of their tasks, as described by María de Lourdes Alemán in the article “The training of nurses in the School of Public Health of Mexico, 1922-2009”. The latter has led to a more robust professionalization.
In this way, the nurses of Mexico have been present giving care for generations, so on this day we celebrate their commitment and passion for their daily dedication in each community, medical center and hospital in the country.
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