Breast Cancer Awareness among Saudi Nursing Students

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and its incidence is increasing in many countries. Nursing students are the future nurses who will have the opportunity to encourage and influence women to be breast aware. Breast-self examination is a simple and easy way to help women to detect any changes in the breasts. A quasiexperimental study was conducted to assess the effect of a Breast Cancer workshop on a group of 33 Saudi nursing students. The knowledge of breast cancer and competency in performing breast-self examination were assessed before and after the workshop using a set of questionnaires designed for the study. The data showed that the participants’ knowledge of breast cancer increased significantly after the workshop. They felt confident to teach and were willing to pass the information of breast cancer and breast selfexamination to their relatives, friends and colleagues. Based on the findings of the study, researcher believes that nursing schools in Saudi Arabia need to provide workshops on a regular basis for nursing students on breast cancer and breast self-examination in order to increase their knowledge, and enhance their confidence and skills to teach women about breast cancer and its early detection.