Objective To explore the clinical head nurses'effective competence through interviewing nursing supervisors by in depth interview method and to provide reference for constructing training content for clinical head nurses in Macau and Guangzhou.Methods In depth interview was carried out among 8 nursing supervisors from 2 hospitals in Macau and 9 nursing supervisors from 2 tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou.Content analysis was utilized through organizing records and then forming written documentations.Results The themes were drawn after the interview,which were good moral character accomplishment,good communication skill,prospective and creative thinking,favorable executive ability.Forwardlooking and innovative were significantly different in Macau and Guangzhou.Conclusions The effective clinical head nurses' competence is multi-faceted,the results can provide reference for selection,evaluation and training for head nurses.