Nursing core competencies and educational needs in the low- and middle-income country: A cross-sectional study

The government of the Kyrgyz Republic is committed to improving healthcare worker education, and as nurses comprise the majority of healthcare workers, improving nursing education and competency is a critical policy strategy. However, insufficient understanding of nurses' duties and competencies, low levels of professional education and motivation, and the poor reputation of the profession have negatively impacted the development of nursing in the Kyrgyz Republic.

This study aimed to identify the core competencies of nursing that are necessary for improving healthcare in the Kyrgyz Republic.

The research design was a cross-sectional study.

The study was conducted from June to November 2022 across the Kyrgyz Republic.

A total of ten focus group interviews were conducted with 54 participants, and 289 individuals responded to the survey.

A job analysis was conducted to identify nursing core competencies, followed by focus group interviews. Educational needs were assessed and analysed for importance and performance using the Competency Inventory for Registered Nurses and the Borich Needs Assessment Model.

Of the 289 participants, 97.9 % were female, the mean age was 43.22, and the mean nursing career length was 19 years. Eleven duties were identified as nursing core competencies. Educational needs were highest for teaching-coaching, followed by clinical care and critical thinking and research aptitude, with interpersonal relations being the lowest. Critical thinking and research aptitude, clinical care, and professional development were identified as topics with high importance and educational needs.

The nursing core competencies reflect the emphasis on primary health care in the Kyrgyz Republic, while the educational needs were related to international nursing standards and national nursing education characteristics. The findings can be used to develop a bachelor's-level nursing curriculum in the Kyrgyz Republic to improve nursing care and contribute to improving the health status of the population.