Current Status and Reflections on the Cultivation of Research Capabilities in Master of Nursing Students with a Professional Degree in China

This paper takes Youjiang Medical College for Nationalities, located in an underdeveloped ethnic minority region in China, as the research object to explore the current status and challenges of cultivating research capabilities of nursing master’s degree students in my country. Since its establishment in 2010, the nursing master’s degree aims to cultivate senior clinical nursing experts with solid theoretical knowledge and clinical research skills. However, there are some problems, including over-emphasis on clinical ability and neglect of research, high reliance on mentor guidance, insufficient research funding, limited opportunities for interdisciplinary cooperation, and poor application of research results. This paper proposes strategies to address these challenges, such as strengthening research course training and academic exchanges, increasing research practice, exploring the system of clinical second mentors and mentor groups, increasing research funding, and drawing on international best practices for curriculum setting. This paper advocates a more comprehensive approach to nursing education that combines research with clinical practice, reflects the latest advances in healthcare, and cultivates a new generation of nursing leaders who can drive change. The paper concludes that improving the research capabilities of nursing graduate students is a complex process that requires a multi-pronged approach, and urges dialogue and action among stakeholders to strengthen support and resources for nursing master’s degree students.