Generic competencies for community health nurses: A qualitative study in Austria

Abstract

Objective: Austria's healthcare system is highly fragmented and decentralized, with primary care typically delivered by independent physicians and limited integration of other health professions. To address this, the federal government is piloting a community health nursing system across several regions from 2022 to 2024. This study explores the essential generic competencies required for community health nurses (CHN) within the Austrian healthcare and social systems, aiming to inform future training guidelines.
Methods: Fifteen experts in community health nursing and public health participated in qualitative interviews. The transcripts were analyzed using Qualitative Content Analysis, following established research standards.
Results: Findings highlight the importance of generic competencies - grouped into six professional, sixteen personal, and sixteen social skills - as key enablers of CHN effectiveness. Social competencies enhance patient relationships, personal competencies support autonomous and responsible practice, and professional competencies enable comprehensive care for complex cases. Communication emerged as the most frequently cited competency across all categories, along with information delivery, education, and social interaction skills.
Conclusions: Expanding the scope of community health nurses through a structured set of competencies could strengthen primary care and promote more integrated service delivery in Austria’s healthcare system.

Keywords

Austrian healthcare system / Community health nursing / Generic competencies / Qualitative research

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