Objective To assess the current status of core competencies among nurses working in community health centers in Shenzhen and to identify factors influencing these competencies, with the aim of informing strategies to enhance nursing capacity.

Methods From March 2023 to March 2024, a cluster sampling method was employed to select nurses from 701 community health centers across six administrative districts in Shenzhen. Data were collected using the online questionnaire platform Wenjuanxing, which included a general information survey and the Community Nurse Core Competency Questionnaire. The multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of core competencies.

Results A total of 1 456 questionnaires were distributed, with 1 303 valid responses collected, yielding a valid response rate of 89.49%. The mean overall core competencies score for nurses was (192.87 ± 26.87) points. Among the subdimensions, the highest to lowest average scores were critical thinking (4.25 ± 0.61) points, professional development (4.00 ± 0.57) points, communication and coordination (3.97 ± 0.47) points, legal and ethical practice (3.84 ± 0.45) points, and community nursing practice (2.90 ± 0.78) points. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that for each higher professional title level, the core competency score increased by an average of 12.231 points (P < 0.05); for each higher educational level, by 6.744 points (P < 0.05); and for each higher income level, by 4.076 points (P < 0.05). Compared to nurses with institutional (permanent) positions, those contracted nurses scored 3.092 points lower on average (P < 0.05). Nurses who joined the community directly after graduation scored 4.755 points lower than those who transferred from hospitals (P < 0.05). Those who had not received community nursing training scored 12.574 points lower than those who had (P < 0.05).

Conclusions The core competencies of nurses in community health centers in Shenzhen remained suboptimal. It is recommended that health administrators develop differentiated training programs to address competency gaps and improve core competencies and service levels of nurses through targeted policies, incentive mechanisms, and support systems related to remuneration, staffing, training, and professional advancement.