Competency-Based Professional Development Programs for Nurses in Urban Communities: A Qualitative Study of Needs and Challenges

Abstract

This descriptive qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore the perceived needs and challenges of implementing Competency-Based Professional Development (CBPD) in urban community nursing. Ten purposively selected registered nurses—five Chief Nurses and five Training Officers—from urban healthcare facilities in Bulacan, Philippines, participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis. Chief Nurses prioritized leadership, policy integration, compliance, evaluation, strategic planning, and workforce development, while Training Officers emphasized curriculum design, facilitation, coordination, contextualized training, and engagement. Barriers included resource and time limitations (workload, scheduling, funding, facilities, and CPD credits) and institutional and systemic barriers (administrative demands, competing priorities, costly evaluation tools, and bureaucracy). Policies and leaders generally supported CBPD, but insufficient resources and mentorship limited implementation. Participants perceived benefits for patient safety, care quality, preparedness, confidence, leadership, workforce alignment, and career advancement. Recommended improvements included protected training hours, adequate funding, modernized urban-focused curricula, mentorship, institutionalized policies, streamlined processes, evaluation systems, mobile training, and flexible scheduling. CBPD should be treated as a strategic investment, although its effects on patient outcomes require direct evaluation.