Aim(s): Introducing nursing students to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can offer them a comprehensive understanding of global challenges, empowering them to make a difference and actively contribute to health equity. The aim of this study is to develop and evaluate an educational program on hygiene and community health for nursing students to enhance the professional preparation and competencies of future nurses in the Kyrgyz Republic.

Method(s): This methodological study consisted of two phases. First, an instructional design of an educational program on hygiene and community health for nursing students was developed based on a needs assessment through literature review and surveys among nurses and faculty members. To ensure course quality, a validation involving seven experts and measuring the Content Validity Index (CVI) was conducted. Second, a one-group posttest-only design was used to evaluate the satisfaction of ten nursing students who participated in the program.

Result(s): The developed course was structured as a four-credit program, comprising 60 hours of didactics and additional 60 hours of independent study. The course was divided into five modules, each covering 25 distinct topics corresponding with related SDGs. The teaching methodology employed a variety of approaches, including lectures, demonstrations, case studies, problem-based learning, and hands-on extracurricular activities such as site visits. Both the item-level CVI (0.86 – 1.00) and the scale-level CVI (0.98), assessing the structure and topics of the course, were found to be above acceptable. Furthermore, 80.0% of students expressed satisfaction with the course process.

Conclusion(s): The developed educational program represents an innovative approach to in teaching students about hygiene and community health, aligning with the current domestic and global needs and standards of healthcare practice. The implementation of this program could enhance the professional competencies of nursing students and contribute significantly to improving public health indicators.

Keywords: Community Health Nursing; Course Development; Hygiene; Nursing Education; Sustainable Development Goals

* Funding statement: This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (Ministry of Education) (No. NRF-2022H1A7A2A02000010, NRF-2022H1A7A2A02000011).