Bridging the Gap in Palliative Care Education: Analysing Knowledge and Attitudes among Undergraduate Nursing Students at IIUM Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

Abstract

The growing global demand for palliative care is driven by an ageing population and the increasing prevalence of both infectious and non-communicable diseases. Previous research has highlighted inadequate knowledge and uncertain attitudes towards palliative care among nursing students worldwide. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students at the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Kuantan, towards palliative care. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 227 nursing students selected through simple random sampling. The findings indicated that the participants demonstrated good to moderate knowledge of palliative care, with a neutral overall attitude. Significant associations were identified between knowledge of palliative care and sociodemographic factors, including age, gender, year of study, clinical attachment experience and experience in caring for dying patients. Similarly, attitudes towards palliative care were significantly associated with the year of study and clinical attachment experience. This study underscores the importance of identifying knowledge gaps and enhancing attitudes toward palliative care among nursing students. It is recommended that further research be conducted in Malaysia to explore these aspects comprehensively.