[Performance of health staff in Papanicolauo test: theoretical knowledge and practical implementation]

The quality of cervical cytology is one of the factors involved in the optimal performance of screening programs for cervical cancer in Mexico, so it is necessary to design indicators to improve the skills of health personnel in this procedure.

To evaluate the performance of the health workers to take the Pap smear.

cross-sectional study made in the period 2006-2007 in San Luis Potosí, Mexico, in 21 health centers in a health jurisdiction. We studied the universe of professionals who take the Pap: 100 nurses, doctors and interns. A knowledge test and a check list were applied. The correlation of Pearson, Student's t and ANOVA was used for data analysis.

There is a correlation between knowledge and qualification in the take of the Pap smear (r = 0.340) (p = 0.001). Providers have a performance on average 62.2% in knowledge and 78.5% in practice. Doctors obtained higher score in the knowledge that the nurses (6.80) (p = 0.000) and trainees (4.14) (p = 0.014). In the practical implementation, there was no difference between the doctors and the nurses (2.68) (p = 0.718) but there was difference between the doctors and interns (6.47) (p = 0.036). To know one or more sections of the knowledge influences the qualification of the procedure.

The performance of the service provider is regular. There is heterogeneity in the knowledge and practical skills. Educational interventions are needed to raise the skills.