Changes in public health nurses' knowledge and perception of counseling and clinical skills for breast and cervical cancer control

This study discusses the findings from two surveys of 459 nurses working in public health about their knowledge and perception of counseling and clini cal skills related to breast and cervical cancer control. The First survey was conducted in 1993 before professional education efforts with the Breast and Cervical Cancer Control Program (BCCCP) began in North Carolina. The s econd survey was carried out in 1996. The results show a significant increa se from 1993 to 1996 in recognition of increasing age, nulliparity, late ch ildbearing, and family history as risk factors for breast cancer, and for s moking and early age at first sexual intercourse as risk factors for cervic al cancer. Nurses' skills were more likely to be rated as excellent or very good in 1996 as compared with ratings in 1993 for educating women about ma mmography, performing a clinical breast examination, teaching breast self-e xamination by demonstration, performing a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear and bima nual examination, and counseling women about abnormal Pap tests. Nurses who took a BCCCP-sponsored adult physical assessment course were more likely t o know correct risk factors for breast and cervical cancer, and to show imp rovement in teaching breast self-examination, performing a Pap smear, and c ounseling women about abnormal Pap tests.