Challenges and organizational factors perceived by management-level public health nurses in developing the practical competencies of their novice peers in Japan.

Objective Enhancing the practical competencies of novice public health nurses is urgently needed, and the identification of organizational factors that management-level public health nurses can improve is crucial for effective human resource development within organizations. This study aimed to explore the challenges and organizational factors perceived by management-level public health nurses when developing 10 types of practical competencies for their novice peers.Methods A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted via postal mail or the Internet in November 2023, targeting five senior management-level public health nurses in each of the 210 municipalities across seven prefectures in the Tokai-Hokuriku region of Japan. The percentages of perceived challenges in developing 10 types of practical competencies of novice public health nurses were calculated. For the competencies with ≥50% perceived challenges, prevalence ratios and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated using regression analyses, with perceived challenges in developing 10 types of practical competencies as objective variables, 18 organizational factors (3 municipality characteristics, 3 educational personnel, and 12 educational systems) as explanatory variables, and eight moderator variables.Results Responses from 326 management-level public health nurses (response rate: 31.0%) were included in the analysis. The respondents had an average of 25.2 years of experience, and 68.5% worked in health departments. The most difficult competencies to develop were the ability to respond to community health crises (57.3%), addressing complex and difficult health issues of individuals and families (52.1%), and support self-help groups and community organizations (50.0%). These challenges were associated with four organizational factors: two educational personnel factors (preceptor assignment for novice public health nurses and the presence of a designated person in charge of human resource development) and two educational system factors (workplace culture that enhances mutual competency and increases interest in human resource development throughout the workplace). In particular, the absence of a "workplace culture that mutually enhance competencies" was identified as a barrier in developing "the ability to support self-help groups and community organizations" (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.52, 95% confidence interval 1.12-1.93). The other three factors pose challenges when educational personnel and systems are implemented.Conclusion The lack of a workplace culture that enhances mutual competency is a key organizational factor associated with management-level public health nurse perceptions of developing the competencies of their novice peers. Strengthening this organizational factor could contribute to the development of human resources for novice public health nurses.