Professional competences of nursing specialists in Mexican companies classified as risk level III and IV

The Occupational Health Nursing practice is an emergent area in Mexico, nevertheless, in other countries the nurses are the most frequent profession in this field. It is necessary increase the educative options in this practice under the best vanguard standards like the competencies system. There are evidences that show nurses as the professionals with the least competencies compared with others professionals, mainly in developing countries. In Mexico there are no standardized competencies in occupational health nursing, as well as studies about the competencies in nurses in this field and its relationship with demographic variables and occupational health indicators. In this way, it was designed a study with the following objectives: 1) To adapt and set up standardized competencies in this practice in Mexico, 2) To assess competences in nurses whose job is carried out in type III and IV companies, 3) To determine if there are differences in the competencies according to the demographic factors, and 4) To determine if there are a relationship among the competencies and key indicators of the occupational health services, such as the accident rates, “incapacities” (compensations ),and the number of medical attending at workplace.