Assessing Preparedness for Cancer Care: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Readiness Among Nursing Students in Jordan

Background: As the risk of developing cancer continues to grow both globally and nationally, the need for a properly resourced nursing workforce is critical. One observation in oncology nursing is that due to a lack of training and little real-world exposure, nursing students often report that they feel unready. Objective: To explore nursing students? knowledge, attitudes, and perceived readiness to care for patients with cancer in Jordan. Methods: A total of 137 undergraduate nursing students at Al al-Bayt University completed a self-administered questionnaire with Likert subscales: knowledge (11 items), attitude (10 items), and readiness (10 items). Descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression were used. Results: Students demonstrated adequate knowledge (M = 28.71, SD = 3.76) and moderately positive attitudes (M = 35.63, SD = 6.80), while readiness was moderate (M = 29.50, SD = 8.12). Attitude predicted readiness (? = .26, p = .003), whereas knowledge did not. Conclusions: Nursing students? readiness for cancer care appears to be shaped more by attitudes than knowledge alone. Structured oncology education and mentorship may enhance preparedness.