Background: In Vietnam, head nursing staffs are not yet managers and controlling health care of patients. Management ability of them is limited, professional knowledge and nursing management skills of them are not improved. Objective: Evaluation of the real situation of head nursing staffs\u2019 ability and training requirements and propose solutions to improve their nursing management ability.\r\n', u'Subject and methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study with interview questionnaire was conducted on 99 head nursing staffs, working at medical institutions in Vinh city, Nghe An province from June to December 2007.\r\n', u'Results: 76.8% did not have proper management qualifications; 62.6% did not know any foreign languages; 54.5% had no knowledge on informatics; all their skills on nursing management were at medium level (less than 64.6%); the ability in collecting, analysis and processing information was limited (63.6%). Therefore, most of them had the need to improve their professional level and skills of nursing management. Conclusion: The continuous training plan for head nursing staffs includes professional knowledge and management skills are required. It is important that, criterions for appointing head nursing staffs should have built, in condition requiring the appointee to have a nursing management qualification.\r\n', u'
nursing management