ABSTRACT

Purpose:

This research was designed to determine nursing students’ level of knowledge about BSE and the effect of BSE training on it.

Patients and Methods:

77 students (from 1st and 4th classes) voluntarily participated in this research. The data were collected from students before BSE training and a month after training. In analyze of data descriptive statistics and dependent t-test was used.

Results:

67.5% of individuals\’ (n: 52) were 1st grade students and 32.5% (n: 25) were 4th grade. It was determined that 80.8% of the 1st grade students had never done BSE. 85.7% (n: 36) of them didn’t have information about BSE and 14.3% (n: 6) of them didn’t attach importance to it before BSE training. It was also determined that 12% (n: 3) of 4th years students had never, and 48% (n: 12) of them had once a month, and 40% (n: 10) of them had sometimes done BSE. After BSE training, it was observed that 53.8% (n: 28) of 1st grade students and 16% (n: 4) of 4th grade students had never done BSE. After BSE training, the knowledge level about BSE had increased significantly in all students (p<0.01). In the post-training evaluation there was %57, 2 increase in students’ rate of knowing BSE and 19.5% increase in their rate of application.

Conclusion:

It was seen that BSE training increased students’ knowledge level and caused positive changes in students’ behaviors on health education. BSE trainings which are planned except school curriculum can create more awareness about the subject for nursing students.