Association Between Characteristics, Experiences, Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intention to Provide Palliative Care for Patients with Terminal Cancer Among Thai Nursing Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Nursing students should be prepared for the provision of palliative care (PC) for patients with terminal cancer. However, few studies have examined factors influencing nursing students' intention. This study aimed to examine the associations between characteristics, knowledge, attitude, experience and their intention to provide PC among Thai nursing students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing students enrolled in all four years of the Bachelor of Nursing Science Program at one Nursing College in Bangkok, Thailand. Data were collected using a questionnaire composed of demographic characteristics, The Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN), The Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) form B and The Nurse's Intention for Providing Palliative Care. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between related factors and outcome variables. Results: Among 430 nursing students were female (93.72%). The mean age was 22.00 ± 2.71. Low monthly allowance (AOR 1.84, 95%CI: 1.13-2.97), Buddhist (AOR 2.01, 95%CI: 1.21-3.33), and positive attitudes (AOR 5.44, 95%CI: 1.13-26.04) were the significant predictors of the intention to provide PC. Conclusion: To enhance the optimum quality of PC provision, it is necessary to cultivate more positive attitudes to increase intention, while integrating religious beliefs into nursing practice. Some strategies such as interdisciplinary learning and encouraging spiritual awareness intervention as well as emphasizing PC training to improve attitude should be integrated in nursing core curricula. Keywords: Palliative care, nursing students, attitudes, knowledge, behavioral intention, Thailand