¿Está enfermería preparada para la crisis de salud mental? Brechas en competencias y desafíos formativos en el primer y segundo nivel de atención.

Mental health has experienced an epidemiological increase worldwide over the last decade and has become one of the major challenges facing the health sector. In response to this situation, health institutions and systems have recognized the need to strengthen primary and secondary care by training non-specialized personnel for the timely detection and intervention of mental health problems. Nursing represents a major professional group within health institutions and systems and plays a key role in identifying emotional symptoms, assessing suicide risk, and detecting mental disorders at early stages. However, a gap persists between the magnitude of identified mental health needs and the academic training received. Moreover, workload, the prioritization of biomedical indicators, limited consultation time, and insufficient staffing restrict the ability of nursing professionals to conduct comprehensive assessments of psychological distress, highlighting the need to strengthen competencies and working conditions to provide timely, comprehensive, and effective mental health care.