Competency Profile of Community Health Nurses in Austria: A Qualitative Analysis of the Relevance and Prioritization of Key Professional Competencies

Abstract Community health nurses are important at community level for strengthening primary care and health-promoting structures. In the Austrian context, the relevance and prioritization of 13 internationally identified areas of competence are examined by means of problem-centered, guided interviews. All competence areas were identified as relevant, especially prevention, communication, evidence-based practice, and networking; others, such as disaster preparedness and research, are considered contextually relevant. The results underline the crucial role of community health nurses in providing access to healthcare, especially in structurally underserved regions. However, their professionalization and effectiveness require continuous skills development through training with a generalist foundation and context-specific specializations. Community Health Nurses