DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2020.v08i09.009

Pages: 2018-2023

Introduction: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide which makes it an important health issue in women. Nurses being the front-line health care workers can play an important role in imparting education about BSE in women as early detection is essential to breast cancer survival. Hence the present study was undertaken with an objective to assess the knowledge and practice of nursing students regarding breast cancer and BSE which will help to fulfil the gap in knowledge, if there any, by imparting BSE training to them. Material and methods: Study design: descriptive, cross-sectional workplace-based study. Study place: all six nursing schools in Akola city. Period of study: June to July 2018. Study subjects: All 180, 2nd and 3rd year female nursing students of all six nursing schools in a city. Data collection: Pretested semi structure questionnaire was used to collect information about personal characteristics of nurses, about causes, risk factors, screening methods and treatment available and knowledge about breast self-examination. Ethical approval: Obtained from Institutional Ethics Committee and also permission was obtained from the principals of the concerned nursing schools. Results: out of 180 nursing students. 167 participated in the study. All participants have heard about breast cancer. Approximately 87.4%, 82.6% and 82.6% participants knew about various risk factors, various screening methods and different methods of treatment respectively. BSE was known to only 57.5% participants. Only 6.6 % knew about proper method of BSE while only 17.4% knew about frequency of BSE. Only 5.3 % practiced BSE. Conclusion: Though the knowledge of respondents about breast cancer is adequate, it requires reinforcing about the subject throughout their study. Their knowledge about BSE is very poor. Nurses should adopt such preventive screening procedure and act as role models for the patients and for the community.