ebook-Essentials of Genomic Nursing: Competencies

Central to contemporary health care is that all diseases and health conditions have some genetic or genomic component. Nursing practice, then, increasingly includes genetics and genomics along its pathways of prevention, screening, diagnostics, prognostics, selection of treatment, and monitoring of treatment effectiveness. This monograph succinctly addresses and articulates the competencies essential for all nursing practice, as well as the subsequent curricular guidelines for all nursing education. The outcome indicators are an adjunct to the essential nursing competencies and curricula guidelines for genetics and genomics and are intended to define for each competency the knowledge and practice indicators.

The initial competencies were developed by an independent panel of nurse leaders from clinical, research, and academic settings, this monograph reflects their goal: to establish the minimum basis for preparing the nursing workforce to deliver competent genetic- and genomic-focused nursing care. While neither replacing nor recreating existing standards of practice, these essential competencies do incorporate the genetic and genomic perspective into all nursing education and practice. The initial competencies were based on the panel’s review of peer-reviewed published work, input from nurse representatives at a stakeholders’ meeting in September 21-22 2005, and public comment from the nursing community at large.

The current monograph reflects an update to those initial competencies and reflect nursing’s consensus on the minimal amount of genetic and genomic competency expected by every registered nurse, regardless of academic preparation, practice setting, role, or specialty. The competencies were updated using a Delphi study involving nurse leaders from clinical, research, and academic settings. This was followed by public comment from the nursing community at large.  As a result, Essentials of Genetic and Genomic Nursing: Competencies, Curricula Guidelines, and Outcome Indicators, 3rd Edition, will prove to be an essential volume for nursing professional education, practice and development at all levels.

Supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. © 2023 American Nurses Association Published June 2023.