Undergraduate nursing students' palliative care knowledge and attitudes: A single-center cross-sectional study

Articles in Press

Document Type : Short Report

Authors

1 Department of Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

2 School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

3 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing and Basic Sciences, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

10.22038/ebcj.2025.85645.3094

Abstract

Background and aim: The growing elderly population and prevalence of chronic diseases have elevated palliative care as a global public health concern. The knowledge and attitudes of undergraduate nursing students regarding palliative care will directly impact the quality of care provided in the future. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes towards palliative care in nursing students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of 204 nursing students in their 5th to 8th academic semesters at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2022. Data was collected using the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN) and a researcher-developed Attitude questionnaire through an online survey. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software (v. 16.0) with a significance level of p < 0.05.
Results: The analysis of the Attitude questionnaire showed that 87.3% of participants had a positive attitude towards palliative care. Gender was a significant factor in attitude, with women scoring higher (p=0.0001). The average PCQN score was 10.26 ± 2.33, indicating limited knowledge. There was no significant correlation between knowledge and attitude scores.
Conclusions: Most undergraduate nursing students had inadequate knowledge about palliative care, but they generally held positive attitudes towards it. Therefore, it is crucial to develop an effective palliative care program for nursing students by implementing a unified curriculum.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Evidence Based Care

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 25 October 2025

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