Identifying Role Functions of Primary Health Care Nurses in China: A Mixed-Methods Study in Three Northeastern...

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Public Health
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Global aging and rising noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) increase the importance of primary health care (PHC).
• Nurses are crucial in PHC, impacting health equity and service quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the current tasks and role functions of nurses in China's primary health care system.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study combining a cross-sectional survey (123 nurses) and focus group interviews (75 nurses) in Northeast China.
• Quantitative data analyzed using SPSS, qualitative data analyzed using NLP-based BERTopic and content analysis.
• Integration of quantitative and qualitative findings to define PHC nurse role functions.

Main Results:

• PHC nurses' tasks primarily involve basic medical services, health management, and health education.
• Three core role functions identified: guardian of family health, early disease detection, and health promotion facilitator.
• Nurse roles have expanded to include NCD management, though full potential is not yet realized.

Conclusions:

• The scope of PHC nurse roles in China has broadened, particularly in NCD management.
• Existing functional deficiencies limit the full realization of PHC nurses' potential.
• Clarifying roles, improving policies, training, compensation, and career pathways are essential to optimize PHC nursing.