Nursing in Mexico

THIS is a description of present-day nursing in Mexico.1 Nursing is young in Mexico and the schools are few in number. The two best known are the University School of Nursing and the Red Cross School of Nursing, both located in Mexico City. Other well-established schools are located in Puebla, Chihuahua, and Monterrey. A large hospital building program is under way throughout the provinces and with these new hospitals will come new schools. As yet, nursing is largely under the direction of the medical profession. We are just beginning to emerge as an independent group. Our numbers are small. Although there has never been a census of nurses, there are known to be 3,200 nurses in Mexico today, working under the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare. The 1943 annual report of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare states that there were 2,755 nurses in the federal district, paid by federal funds. There are perhaps 500 more in the coordinated services in the states, paid by the states. In addition there are registered nurses working in private institutions and serving as private duty nurses.