Martha D. Betancourt-Márquez, Jefatura de Enfermería, Hospital Materno Infantil; Subjefatura de Calidad y Seguridad del Paciente; Servicios de Salud de Nuevo León. Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
In a country with a cultural essence and characteristics as unique and special as Mexico, it was to be expected that the elements that make up the cultural identity of Mexican nursing professionals are also peculiar and unique. Ancestrally, in the times of pre-Hispanic Mexico, nursing care already existed in the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Later, the conquest of Mexico represented the union of two civilizations and at the same time, it meant the beginning of the end for the pre-Hispanic culture. In Mexico, the scenario that best served as a platform to promote women in the development of nursing was the Mexican revolution. Throughout the passage of time, in today’s Mexico, challenges and dilemmas are looming for the nursing profession, such as the constant technological advance, the continuous growth of the population, the affectation of the economy of the health systems by the of the recent COVID-19 pandemic and the appearance of new and unknown diseases that could afflict the population. However, throughout its own history, nursing in Mexico has been able to get ahead in the face of any of its challenges.
Keywords: Nursing. History. Mayans. Aztecs. Mexican revolution.