Luis A. Benítez-Chavira, Unidad de Investigación, Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Claudia Leija-Hernández, División de Educación Continua, Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Gustavo Nigenda, Unidad de Investigación, Facultad de Enfermería y Obstetricia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
Professional nursing certification is a key mechanism for validating competencies and strengthening the quality of care. Despite efforts by government agencies, the percentage of certified nursing professionals remains very low, at just 2.7% of the national total. This situation is exacerbated by uneven geographic distribution and a lack of incentives and institutional support to promote professional certification. Although legislative proposals have been put forward to facilitate the certification process in Mexico, they have remained stalled. It is therefore necessary to reactivate these initiatives and design and implement evidence- based public policies that contribute to eliminate the administrative, institutional, and economic barriers that nursing professionals face in becoming certified. If achieved, certification will help to strengthen the quality of care in the Mexican health system.
Keywords: Health system. Healthcare quality. Human resources. Nursing. Certification.