Recent Developments in Public Health Nursing in the Americas

Gustavo Nigenda, Laura Magaña-Valladares, Kelly Cooper and Jose Arturo Ruiz-Larios
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Gustavo Nigenda: National Institute of Public Health (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública), Avenida Universidad No. 655, Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlan, C. P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
Laura Magaña-Valladares: National Institute of Public Health (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública), Avenida Universidad No. 655, Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlan, C. P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
Kelly Cooper: National Institute of Public Health (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública), Avenida Universidad No. 655, Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlan, C. P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México
Jose Arturo Ruiz-Larios: National Institute of Public Health (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública), Avenida Universidad No. 655, Colonia Santa María Ahuacatitlan, C. P. 62100, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México

IJERPH, 2010, vol. 7, issue 3, 1-22

Abstract: This study presents an assessment of the participation and training of nurses in public health areas in the Americas. Information was gathered through a literature review and interviews with key informants from Mexico, Colombia, and Paraguay. Results demonstrate that there is significant variation in definitions of public health nursing across the region and current systematized data about the workforce profile of public health nursing personnel is not available for many countries in the Americas. There are significant regional differences in the levels and types of training of nurses working in public health areas and an increasing number of nurses are pursuing training in public health at the master’s and doctoral levels. Many nurses carry out some or all of the essential functions of public health, but are not considered to be public health nurses. Generally, auxiliary and technical nurses have a broader presence in public health areas than professional nurses. In the future, regional health systems reforms should support increased recruitment and training of public health nurses, as well as stronger roles in public health research and health care at the individual, community, and population levels.

Keywords: public health nursing; nursing; public health; the Americas; Latin America; essential functions of public health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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