Category Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Research Ability among Clinical Nurses:A latent profile analysis

Background Nursing research competency is a critical driver for implementing evidence-based practice and advancing the discipline of clinical nursing. It also serves as a key support for nurses’ professional development and career fulfillment. With the rapid evolution of the nursing profession, healthcare institutions have been continuously raising the academic and professional requirements for nurse promotion and career advancement. Assessing nurses’ current research capacity provides a foundation for nursing administrators to implement research-oriented and discipline-specific management strategies. This study aims to investigate the current status of scientific research capacity among clinical nurses in tertiary teaching hospitals in Hainan Province, identify potential profiles of research competency, and explore influencing factors. The findings are expected to provide a reference for designing targeted training measures tailored to different competence profiles, thereby promoting the overall improvement of research capacity among clinical nurses. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical nurses from three tertiary teaching hospitals in Hainan Province from December 2023 to January 2024. A general information questionnaire and the Nursing Research Competency Scale were used for data collection. Latent profile analysis was employed to identify potential subgroups of research competency among the nurses. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to explore factors influencing the research competency across different latent profiles. Results The overall research competency of clinical nurses in Hainan Province was at a moderate level. Four distinct profiles were identified: significantly poor research competency (69 cases, 20.5%), medium research competency (135 cases, 40.1%), good research competency (105 cases, 31.2%), and excellent research competency (28 cases, 8.3%). Multivariable regression analysis indicated that gender, highest education level, participation in research training, frequency of reading nursing journals, and weekly time dedicated to research activities were significant influencing factors of research competency (P < 0.05). Conclusion The research competency of clinical nurses could be categorized into four distinct profiles with significant heterogeneity. Identifying these profiles and their influencing factors can assist nursing administrators in developing tailored training programs to effectively enhance the research competency of clinical nurses.