Community Health Nursing in Saudi Arabia: Practices and Learning Needs

Abstract

Purpose: This study investigated the daily practices of community nurses working in Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) and their learning needs.

Participants and methods: This descriptive cross-sectional correlational study was guided by the eight sections of the Canadian Community Health Nursing Standards of Practice 2019 expressing daily clinical activities and learning needs based on a five-point Likert scale. Participants were recruited from three Saudi Arabian cities. Descriptive data were processed regarding mean and Confidence Intervals for items, subscales, and the entire instrument. Comparisons for subgroups' mean scores were assessed using one-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey HSD pairwise comparison.

Results: 318 nurses participated in the study (75.5% response rate). The top practiced nursing activities were health education and supporting those who are unable to take action for themselves. On the other hand, the least practiced were participating in research invitations and research groups. Participants expressed their learning needs in utilizing health education theories and strategies and using Health informatics to support optimum nursing care.

Conclusion: Saudi Arabia has a young community health nursing taskforce that needs to upgrade its knowledge and skills to match international standards. Understanding the real-life activities and learning needs of community health nurses in comparison to international standards will help health policymakers support the optimal contribution of nursing to patients outcomes and healthcare system utilization.

Keywords: Saudi Arabia; community health nursing; learning needs; nursing practice.