STUDY TO EVALUATE THE KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES OF NURSES ABOUT BREAST SELF-EXAMINATION (BSE) TO SCREEN FOR BREAST CANCER, IN ELMAK NIMER UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

The frequency of breast cancer makes it an important health issue. Breast screening is a form of secondary prevention aimed at reducing mortality from the disease, as early detection is essential to breast cancer survival. Nurses must play an active role in creating breast cancer awareness through education and empowerment. They therefore need to have a sound knowledge base and adequate practical skills in the field of breast cancer prevention. The purpose of this study was to determine the current knowledge, skills and awareness of breast self-examination, of nurses. This study was conducted to explore nurse's BSE efficacy, BSE practice .The sample size was (60) nurses drawn from (160) total nurses of the hospital by using simple random sampling. Data were collected by administering self-report questionnaires. (86.3%) of nurses had performed the BSE practice. Nurses who performed BSE, most (91.1%) subjects perform BSE of in every month as was recommended by ACS, (2007). Nursing represents a significant professional resource that can help facilitate positive changes through health education strategies.