Nurses’ Knowledge About Cancer-Related Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common complication of cancer and its treatment. Nurses play a role in early identification, assessment, and management of CRCI; however, limited knowledge may hinder optimal patient care. This study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge of CRCI and examine its relationship with sociodemographic and professional characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 140 nurses. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic and professional characteristics, prior CRCI education/training, and knowledge of CRCI across six domains: definition, symptoms, assessment methods, causes, risk factors, and management. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation were used to analyze the data. Results Overall, nurses demonstrated limited knowledge of CRCI (mean total score = 13.9 ± 5.1, 46% correct). Domain-specific scores were lowest for risk factors (42%) and causes (45%), and slightly higher for management (50%) and symptoms (48%). Significant predictors of higher knowledge included advanced academic degree (F = 4.11, p = 0.02), more years of experience (F = 3.02, p = 0.05), prior CRCI education (t = 6.15, p < 0.001), previous training (t = 5.88, p < 0.001), and direct experience caring for cancer patients (t = 3.41, p = 0.001). Conclusions Targeted educational interventions, including structured training and hands-on exposure to oncology patients, are needed to enhance nurses’ competence in recognizing and managing CRCI.