Community Health Professionals’ Perspectives on the Role and Training Needs of Public Health Nurses: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT Background Public health nurses (PHNs) occupy an important position in improving community health outcomes and the response to public health emergencies. However, China currently lacks a standardized PHN education system, resulting in an underskilled workforce unable to meet growing public health demands. To address this issue, a deeper understanding of the actual roles and training needs of PHNs from the perspective of frontline community health professionals is essential for developing a structured and effective educational framework. Objective To explore the perspectives of community health professionals on the role and training needs of PHNs in China, so as to provide potential reference for establishing a comprehensive PHN education system. Methods With the utilization of a qualitative descriptive study design, this study was carried out with the recruitment of participants from 10 community health service centers in Beijing between March and August 2022 via purposive sampling. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted on 17 community nurses and 15 public health physicians in China, with the collected data subsequently undergoing thematic analysis. Results This study identified two key themes of the roles of PHNs and the necessity of their training (11 sub‐themes in total) through interviews. Specifically, the roles of PHNs involved eight sub‐themes: responding to public health emergencies, providing population‐centered care, conducting health education and promotion, managing chronic diseases, delivering mental health services, advising on policy development, offering maternal and child healthcare, and implementing family‐centered care. In addition, the necessity of training encompassed three sub‐themes: the need to respond to public health emergencies, the demand for meeting patient needs, and the requirement for specialized training. Conclusion PHNs are essential frontline professionals in public health practice, which underscores the imperative to cultivate public health nursing talents through undergraduate education in China. This integration is expected to cultivate a nursing workforce capable of effectively responding to future public health emergencies.