Introduction and objective:
Patient education is a crucial element of preventive health care, requiring appropriate knowledge from medical personnel. The human papillomavirus (HPV) poses a global threat, and one of the most effective methods of preventing infection is vaccination against HPV. The aim of this study was to examine the level of knowledge among nurses regarding cervical cancer prevention and HPV vaccinations.

Material and methods:
A survey was conducted from January – March 2024 among nurses randomly selected from hospital wards in the Górnośląsko-Zagłębiowska Metropolis in Upper Silesia, Poland. A total of 215 individuals participated in the study, with 200 being eligible for further analysis. The inclusion criteria were active employment as a nurse and consent to participate in the study. The questionnaire contained questions aimed at assessing the knowledge and attitudes of nurses towards the HPV virus and cervix cancer. Data were collected using a self-designed questionnaire and analyzed with Microsoft Excel.

Results:
The study showed that the majority of nurses were not vaccinated against HPV. Knowledge about HPV vaccination and cervical cancer prevention was insufficient among the participants. However, nurses in the 22–35 age group demonstrated a higher level of knowledge compared to those in the 46–65 age group.

Conclusions:
Education on cervical cancer prevention and HPV infection prevention is still unsatisfactory, although it is most efficient if introduced already during nursing studies and continuously updated throughout professional working life.