ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE TOWARDS PALLIATIVE CARE AMONG FINAL-YEAR NURSING STUDENTS IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Abstract

Background: Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of individuals living with life-threatening illnesses and their families. Nurses play a crucial role in delivering physical, psychosocial, and spiritual support; thus, undergraduate nursing students require adequate educational preparation in this discipline.

Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) regarding palliative care among final-year undergraduate nursing students in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over six months, from November 2025 to April 2026, across public and private nursing institutions in Karachi. A total sample of 188 final-year undergraduate nursing students was recruited using non-probability convenience sampling (sample size calculated via OpenEpi). Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire comprising demographic items, 10 knowledge questions, 10 attitude questions, and 5 practice questions. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26 using frequencies and percentages.

Results: Of the 188 participants, 32 (17.0%) were male and 156 (83.0%) were female; 147 (78.2%) were enrolled in government institutions and 41 (21.8%) in private institutions. The overall mean knowledge score was 50.3%; 38 (20.2%) participants were classified as having good knowledge, 56 (29.8%) moderate knowledge, and 94 (50.0%) poor knowledge. The overall attitude distribution was 79 (42.0%) positive and 109 (58.0%) negative. The practice classification was 74 (39.4%) good and 114 (60.6%) poor.

Conclusion: Final-year nursing students in Karachi exhibit notable gaps in palliative care knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices. Structured palliative care curricula, interactive reflective learning, and supervised clinical rotations are strongly recommended to strengthen undergraduate nursing education.