Palliative care nurses' level of knowledge and awareness of the ethical dimensions of pain treatment

Purpose: This study was conducted to examine the knowledge and awareness of palliative care nurses about the ethical dimension of pain treatment. The study is descriptive in type. Material and Method: The population of this descriptive study consisted of nurses working in palliative care units in the province and districts of Adana. The study was completed between November 2023 and July 2025. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and the Ethical Dimensions of Pain Management Knowledge and Awareness Questionnaire. The SPSS 26 software package was used to analyze the data. The study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki. The study included 144 nurses. Findings: Nurses received an average score of 8.69 ±2.02 (moderate) on the Questionnaire on the Ethical Dimensions of Pain Management. The two most correctly answered statements on the form were "Patients should be informed about pain management options" and "Possible side effects of the applied pain management should be explained to the patient." The study found that nurses who had previously received training on the ethical dimension of pain management received higher scores (p<0.05). Conclusion and recommendations: According to the study results, palliative care nurses' knowledge and awareness of the ethical aspects of pain management are at a moderate level. It is recommended that greater emphasis be placed on the ethical aspects of pain management in undergraduate and in-service training. Keywords: Palliative care, Pain, Nurse, Ethics