Factors involved in nurses' teaching breast self-examination

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Public Health
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Breast self-examination (BSE) is a crucial method for early breast abnormality detection.
• Physician or nurse-led instruction enhances proficiency in performing BSE.
• Understanding nurses' personal practice and patient teaching of BSE is vital for improving breast cancer awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess nurses' personal practice of breast self-examination (BSE).
• To evaluate the extent to which nurses teach BSE to their patients.
• To explore factors influencing nurses' teaching behaviors regarding BSE.

Main Methods:

• A hospital-based survey was conducted among nurses.
• Data collected included personal BSE practice frequency and patient teaching habits.
• Analysis explored correlations between teaching behavior and nurse demographics, personal BSE practice, and perceived risk.

Main Results:

• Nurses demonstrated high personal compliance with performing BSE.
• Only 40% of surveyed nurses incorporated BSE into their patient teaching protocols.
• Nurses' teaching of BSE was not significantly associated with their age, personal BSE practice, or self-assessed cancer risk.

Conclusions:

• Nurses recognize the value of BSE in preventing breast cancer mortality.
• Despite personal practice and perceived susceptibility, a significant gap exists in nurses teaching BSE to patients.
• Ambivalent attitudes towards breast cancer and BSE among nurses may impede effective patient education.