Knowledge Level of Working and Student Nurses on Cervical Cancer and Human Papilloma Virus Vaccines

Purpose: To determine knowledge levels of working and student nurses about cervical cancer and prophylacticcancer vaccines. Materials and
Methods: This study was performed on 259 nursing students in the Departmentof Nursing and 137 nurses working in Health Research and Practice Center, approved to participate in the studybetween April-June 2012. The study was performed universally without selecting a sample. A questionnairethat was prepared for evaluating participants’ knowledge and attitudes about human papilloma virus (HPV)vaccine was distributed to the nurses and data obtained from the forms were transferred to SPSS 15.00 programand statistically analyzed.
Results: It was found that 54.8% of the student nurses were between 21-24 years oldand 13.1% of working students were between 25-28 years old. When student nurses and working nurses werecompared in terms of their knowledge about the causes of cervical cancer, their ideas about prevention fromcervical cancer with HPV vaccine, their ideas about possible risks of HPV vaccine and conservation ratios of HPVvaccine, it was observed that there were no statistically significant differences (p>0.05). When student nursesand working nurses were compared in terms of the information-source about HPV, ways of HPV contamination,awareness about people who are susceptible to HPV contamination and age of HPV vaccination, it was determinedthat there was a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).
Conclusions: It was found that all nurses had someknowledge about cervical cancer and HPV vaccine, but this was not sufficient. Therefore; it is recommended touse verbal, written and visual communication tools intensively in order to have topics on cervical cancer, earlydiagnosis and prevention in bachelor and master programs for nurses, to inform society about cervical cancerand HPV vaccine for public health and to teach precautions for its prevention.