method making use of: Frommelt’s Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) Scale, Palliative Care Quiz for
Nursing (PCQN) and practice questions. This led to enhanced validity of the data. EPI-INFO and SPSS software
statistical packages were applied for data entry and analysis.
Result: Of the total 365 nurses selected, a response rate of 341 (94.2%) were registered. Out of the total study
participants, 104 (30.5%) had good knowledge and 259 (76%) had favorable attitude towards PC. Medical and
surgical wards as well as training on PC were positively associated with knowledge of nurses. Institution, individuals’
level of education, working in medical ward and the training they took part on PC were also significantly associated
with the attitude the nurses had. Nurses working in Hayat Hospital (nongovernmental) had a 71.5% chance of
having unfavorable attitude towards PC than those working in Black Lion Hospital (governmental). Regarding their
knowledge aspect of practice, the majority of the respondents 260 (76.2%) had poor implementation, and nearly half of
the respondents had reported that the diagnosis of patients was usually performed at the terminal stage. In line with
this, spiritual and medical conditions were highly taken into consideration while dealing with terminally ill patients.
Conclusion: The nurses had poor knowledge and knowledge aspect of practice, but their attitude towards PC was
favorable. Recommendations are that due attention should be given towards PC by the national health policy and
needs to be incorporated in the national curriculum of nurse education