Abstract

Introduction: The performance of community health nurses depends on a comprehensive collection of scientific and practical competencies that can be ac-quired through training courses in the nursing curriculum. Aim: The present study is an attempt to describe the process of community health nursing education during the training and field training courses. Material and methods: This study was conducted using a grounded theory approach. In total, 14 undergraduate nursing students, 13 employees in health centers and 10 faculty member instructors participated in this study. The popu-lation was sampled through purposeful and theoretical sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews through January to December 2019. Data analysis was conducted using Strauss and Corbin (1998) approach and by the Maxqda software. Results and discussion: The theory of ‘dichotomy of motivation’ which includes four main concepts namely: professional identity, educational atmo-sphere, accountability and efficiency, was extracted from the data. Professional identity and educational atmosphere provided the ground for dichotomy of motivation in participants. These concepts were followed by a spectrum of account-abilities which led to a different spectrum of efficiency in the training courses. Conclusions: The theory of dichotomy of motivation, described the nursing training process in the training courses and the role of training in the field of community health. Professional identity, educational environment and account-ability, are important concepts that affect this process. This study revealed the problems and obstacles in the health training courses for managers, instructors and employees so that the necessary measures may be taken to improve the efficiency of training courses. © 2021, Collegium Medicum University of Warmia and Mazury. All rights reserved.