[Factors related to experience of project development processes by municipal public health nurses in Japan]

Public health nurses (PHNs) need to develop new projects to solve community health problems as an active strategy. The purpose of this study was to clarify how many Japanese PHNs actually have experience of project development process, and to examine related factors.

By using random-sampling, we chose 374 municipalities from a total of 1,871 that would not consolidate with their neighbours in 2005, and obtained cooperation from 305. In collaboration with the Association of Japanese Public Health Nurses, questionnaires mailed to 2306 Japanese PHNs working in the municipalities in 2005. The self-administered questionnaire included items on; 1) municipal and organizational variables; 2) PHN-related factors; 3) whether the PHNs had experience of project-development processes. We performed logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between experience and these parameters.

Among the 1,270 respondents, PHNs who did not recognize the necessity of creating a new project accounted for 481 (37.9%); those who recognized the need to create a new project but did not propose any practical means numbered 324 (25.5%); those who proposed a new project but did not implement it were 66 (5.2%); and those who provided a new project for their residents were 399 (31.4%). The logistic regression analysis revealed that PHNs who had experience of developing new services by themselves and read health, medical and welfare journals were significantly more likely to provide new projects for their residents.

PHNs have the capability to create new projects and individuals in all municipalities and organizations need to acquire active experience of developing projects.