Traditional Chinese medicine nursing competency and its correlates among clinical nurses in Guangyuan City, China

Objective To assess Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) nursing competency among clinical nurses in Guangyuan City, China, and identify associated factors to inform targeted training and management. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January to October 2024. Using multistage stratified cluster sampling, clinical nurses were recruited from 20 public medical institutions in Guangyuan City. Data were collected using a general information questionnaire, the TCM Nursing Competency Scale, and a TCM nursing training needs questionnaire. Analyses were performed in SPSS 25.0. Variables significant in univariate analyses were entered into a multiple linear regression model (two-tailed α  = 0.05). Results Of 1,300 questionnaires distributed, 1,210 were valid (93.08%). The mean overall competency score was 3.19 ± 0.91 (moderate). Dimension scores were highest for TCM nursing techniques (3.43 ± 0.97) and lower for foundational theory (3.07 ± 0.92) and advanced clinical practice (3.07 ± 1.01). Regression analysis showed that hospital type, perceived training volume/adequacy, educational level, managerial emphasis on TCM nursing training, number of TCM techniques nurses could perform, and willingness to participate in TCM nursing training were associated with overall competency (all p  < 0.05). The final model was statistically significant ( R 2  = 0.473, adjusted R 2  = 0.470; F  = 153.931, p  < 0.001). Conclusion Nurses in Guangyuan City showed moderate and uneven TCM nursing competency. Both individual characteristics and organizational training conditions were associated with competency, suggesting the potential value of targeted training and strengthened institutional support.