Towards la clínica de mis sueños: Findings from a needs and assets assessment among rural nurses in Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

Mexican nurses can face important challenges such as difficulty finding employment, wide ranges of salaries and strained interprofessional relationships. Additionally, many nurses in Mexico care for a marginalized and underserved patient population. In Chiapas, one of the poorest states in the country, six government-sponsored clinics have partnered with the non-profit organization Partners in Health (PIH) to deliver healthcare. The goal of this study was to explore the perceptions of the nurses employed in these clinics about their role, professional relationship with clinic doctors and about the needs and assets that characterize their work. In March of 2013, with approval from an ethical research review board, we conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with the eight clinic nurses and six doctors working alongside them. The qualitative data analysis showed that nurses highlighted their role in disease prevention, reported highly valuing collaboration with clinic doctors and wanted opportunities to expand their clinical knowledge. Nurses identified the burden of documentation and lack of preparation for medical emergencies among their biggest professional challenges. These findings will serve as the foundation for the strategy to be used to support the work of nurses in the PIH-supported clinics.