Strategic directions for the development of public health nurses to address regional challenges

Abstract

Toward 2040, Japan faces increasingly complex challenges, including a declining birthrate, an aging population, widening health disparities, frequent disasters, and weakening community ties. In response, building a comprehensive community care system to support residents' health has become an urgent priority. To meet these demands, it is essential to develop public health nursing professionals who can identify regional health issues and strategically implement community health policies. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's “Study Group on the Future of Public Health Nursing Activities Toward 2040” highlighted key issues such as typologizing public health nursing roles, securing workforce quality and quantity, enhancing policy-making capacity, promoting ICT use, and advancing interprofessional collaboration. However, disparities in training systems, particularly in smaller municipalities, have become evident. In response, the National Institute of Public Health (NIPH) provides career-stage-based training to enhance practical competencies, including policy development and management. In addition, it also addresses emerging needs such as supporting new public health nurses, developing future supervisory nurses, and reducing regional disparities. This paper discusses NIPH's initiatives through its training framework and case studies and describes the strategic integration of these programs into human resource development plans at local governments. It concludes by proposing future directions for sustainable workforce development through national-local collaboration.