Traditional Chinese Medicine Nursing Competency: Status and Influencing Factors Across Healthcare Settings

Abstract Objective: Given the profound cultural heritage of traditional Chinese medicine and the growing demand for traditional Chinese medicine nursing services in Guangyuan, as well as the contradiction between the existing service capabilities and the insufficient capacity for such services. To investigate the current status of Chinese medicine nursing capacity in different types of medical institutions in Guangyuan, and analyze the enterprise influence factors for providing scientific basis for improving the quality of traditional Chinese medicine nursing services, optimizing resource allocation, and formulating targeted improvement strategies in the region. Methods: The study used a combination of stratified and random sampling, 1,300 frontline nurses from twenty medical institutions in Guangyuan were assessed via a Likert-scale questionnaire. Structural equation modeling examined traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) nursing competence pathways and verified direct/indirect factor effects. Cluster analysis was used to classify groups of nurses with different competency levels and summarize the characteristics of each group. Results: The total TCM nursing competency score of medical institutions in Guangyuan was 3.19±0.91. Among them, the score of basic theoretical knowledge was 3.07±0.92, the score of common nursing techniques was 3.43±0.97, and the score of advanced clinical practice was 3.07±1.01. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the main influencing factors included the type of hospital (β=-0.45), the number of trainings (β=0.19), and the education level (β=0.35). Cluster analysis indicated that nurses in TCM hospitals were mainly distributed in the high-competence group. Conclusion: TCM nursing competence among medical institutions in Guangyuan was moderate, influenced by multiple factors. Competence varied significantly across institution types, with specialized TCMhospitals exhibiting superior performance to non-specialized counterparts. Factors significantly affecting TCM nursing competence included nursing staff education, institution type, number of TCM nursing skills mastered, training willingness, and organizational support. Strengthening TCM nursing education, optimizing resource allocation, and disseminating best practices from specialized TCM hospitals are recommended to enhance service quality and support sustainable development, ultimately better meeting public health needs. Patient or Public Contribution: No Patient or Public Contribution. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.