2025 Volume 74 Issue 5 Pages 488-497
Objectives: The present study aimed to identify the challenges experienced by novice public health nurses (PHNs) from diverse backgrounds and to clarify the types of support they found helpful. Methods: Fourteen novice PHNs with diverse professional experiences, educational backgrounds, and ages, who were mentored by mid-level PHNs, were included. Online semi-structured interviews were conducted either individually or in focus groups between November 2023 and January 2024, to explore the challenges and the types of support the PHNs perceived as effective. The results were qualitatively analyzed using an inductive approach. Results: Among the 14 novice PHNs with diverse backgrounds, 13 had prior experience as nurses, and 5 had previous experience as PHNs. The average duration of their current employment was 1 year and 7 months. The different challenges the participant experienced included adjusting perspectives and practices in community health activities, managing PHN duties in contrast to previous roles, conflicts arising from the gap between professional expectations and workplace reality, understanding foundational PHN knowledge, understanding the roles and responsibilities of municipal employees, and adapting to cultural differences across regions and organizations in contrast to previous workplaces. The support perceived as effective included opportunities to develop interpersonal and community support skills as PHNs, educational systems that leveraged prior work experience, on-the-job training to enhance practical skills as municipal PHNs, and organizational cultures that did not burden individuals with their prior experience. Conclusion: PHNs from diverse backgrounds face conflicts from the gap between professional expectations and workplace reality, and confusion from differences in regional characteristics and organizational cultures. Difficulties in adapting to the PHN role were highlighted, including changing perspectives and practices in community health activities, managing PHN duties in contrast to previous roles, understanding foundational PHN knowledge, and delineating the roles and responsibilities of municipal employees. Effective support strategies include establishing educational systems utilizing prior experience, implementing on-the-job training to foster practical skills, and cultivating organizational cultures that do not treat previous experience as a burden. Furthermore, in human resource development, employing career ladders and implementing career evaluations and follow-ups based on experience may promote systematic skill enhancement and job satisfaction, while also contributing to organization-wide development.
