Decanato’s Office
n July 27, 1987, the General Consultative Council (CGC) of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN) approved the elevation of the academic level of the Escuela de Enfermería y Obstetricia (EEO), transforming it into the Escuela Superior de Enfermería y Obstetricia (ESEO). This decision marked a significant milestone in the history of nursing in Mexico, driving the professionalization of the field and paving the way for future postgraduate studies within the Politécnico Nacional.
A Brief History of ESEO
To better understand the significance of this academic elevation, it's important to recognize that nursing is one of the oldest professions, traditionally associated with laywomen or religious sisters. Initially, nursing focused on supporting medical practices in caring for the sick and wounded during wars. However, perceptions of the profession evolved notably in the 19th century, influenced by the renowned nurse Florence Nightingale. Her work, "Notes on Nursing," not only transformed the profession but also laid the foundation for modern nursing, which emphasizes increasingly specialized theoretical and practical training. This evolution led to the establishment of professional schools for nursing.
In Mexico, healthcare services were not state-run; instead, public or private charitable institutions typically handled these responsibilities. It wasn't until the administration of General Lázaro Cárdenas del Río (1934-1940) that the state began to develop a healthcare policy focused on rural areas. During Cárdenas's tenure, there was a significant push to train technical personnel in nursing to implement basic hygiene education campaigns in rural areas, supported by both nurses and rural school teachers (Leroux, 2006).
At the Second Congress of Rural Hygiene in 1938, significant contributions were made by figures such as anthropologist Miguel Othón de Mendizábal and nurse Carmen Leija Paz de Ibarra, who highlighted the need for trained technical nursing staff due to the shortage of medical services. In response, in 1940, the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas (ENCB) at IPN established a four-year program in Rural Nursing and Midwifery. For those who wished to specialize in obstetrics, an additional two years of study were required. Enrollment only required primary education at that time.
However, after completing their studies, graduates were required to complete social service alongside medical students to receive formal recognition of their training, which was considered technical. It wasn't until 1946 that nursing and midwifery studies were legally recognized under the Law of Professions, enabling the first nurse, María del Amor Cruz Bracho, to graduate with the title of Nurse and Midwife.
In 1959, efforts began to develop the first formal curriculum for the Nursing and Midwifery program. Once the proposal was accepted, the EEO was established, separating it from the Rural Medicine program and the Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas. Thus, the careers of Nurse and Midwife, previously offered at the Escuela Nacional de Medicina y Homeopatía (ENMH) and the Escuela Superior de Medicina Rural (ESMR), were consolidated into the Escuela de Enfermería y Obstetricia of the Politécnico.
Consequently, in February 1962, the Technical Consultative Council of IPN approved both the curriculum and the creation of the Escuela de Enfermería y Obstetricia, integrating it into the Institute's system of professional schools. The school began operations in the building previously occupied by the Escuela Superior de Economía (ESE) at the corner of Prolongación de Carpio and Avenida de los Maestros in Santo Tomás. In 1965, EEO moved to the building that formerly housed the Escuela Superior de Ingeniería y Arquitectura (ESIA), which had been damaged by the 1957 earthquake and subsequently remodeled to accommodate the nursing school, where it remains to this day.
To enhance the academic level of the school's training programs, it was deemed necessary to renew the curriculum and confer a bachelor's degree upon graduates, a change that was approved by the General Consultative Council in 1987. This initiative aimed to align the school with the institutional philosophy of "contributing to societal transformation in its area of expertise with a democratic and socially progressive approach" (Leroux, 2006).
Thus, July 27th is a significant date commemorating the transformation of the Escuela de Enfermería y Obstetricia into the Escuela Superior de Enfermería y Obstetricia. This change endowed its graduates with a greater commitment to serve the people of Mexico, now equipped with a higher level of education.
SOURCES
Lucia Esther Leroux Romero, María Luz Medina Miranda, "Escuela Superior de Enfermería y Obstetricia (ESEO)," in Setenta años de Historia del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, vol. IV, Mexico, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Presidencia del Decanato, 2006, pp. 325-332.
María Luz Medina Miranda, "Escuela Superior de Enfermería y Obstetricia (ESEO)," in Setenta y cinco años del IPN de poner la Técnica al Servicio de la Patria, vol. II, Mexico, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Presidencia del Decanato, 2011, pp. 225-230.
Presidencia del Decanato, Hechos Históricos del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, July 2012.
Selección Gaceta Politécnica #176. (July 31st, 2024). IPN Imagen Institucional: Read the full magazine in Spanish here.
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