Nursing in the 21st century in Latin America: Part I--Education.

Despite cultural differences the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean have been marked by the same historical factors in their development: loss of cultural background through colonization, high economic dependence on the colonizing and then developed countries and periods of strong, anti-democratic governments. The result has been unstable economic, social and political structures. The current tendency, however, is toward a new social order in which civil institutions are being strengthened and the role of the state is being redefined. In this context, health stands out as one of the emerging priorities. And in this maelstrom of change, Latin American nurses are vying for their rightful position in the health care hierarchy. To understand their needs, INR begins its first installment of an analysis of nursing in Latin America.