U.S. Genetics Nurses in Advanced Practice

doi:10.1111/j.1547-5069.2006.00105.x

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Wiley InterScience

Journal of Nursing Scholarship

Volume 38 Issue 3, Pages 213 - 218

Published Online: 18 Aug 2006

Published with Sigma Theta Tau International, Honor Society of Nursing

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Genomics To Health

U.S. Genetics Nurses in Advanced Practice

Dale Halsey Lea ¹ , Janet K. Williams ¹ , Judith A. Cooksey ¹ , Patricia A. Flanagan ¹ , Gaetano Forte ¹ , Miriam G. Blitzer ¹

¹ Dale Halsey Lea, RN, MPH, CGC, FAAN, Kappa Zeta-at-Large, Director, Division of Genetics, Foundation for Blood Research, Scarborough, ME; Janet K. Williams, RN, PhD, FAAN, Gamma, Kelting Professor of Nursing, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA; Judith A. Cooksey, MD, MPH, Genetics Health Services Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Patricia A. Flanagan, MA, Genetics Health Services Research Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Baltimore, MD; Gaetano Forte, BA, Center for Health Workforce Studies, University of Albany, SUNY, School of Public Health, Albany, NY; Miriam G. Blitzer, PhD, Division of Human Genetics, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Baltimore, MD. We acknowledge the generous support provided by cooperative agreement (U78 HP 00016-01) with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Professions (BHPr) and Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Genetic Services Branch, and the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) Program. We also acknowledge guidance from nurse researchers who shared earlier studies and counsel on this study, particularly Cynthia Prows, RN, MSN. The International Society of Nurses in Genetics, Inc., (ISONG) allowed access to their membership and encouraged survey participation. Members of our Nurses in Genetics Advisory Board gave valuable insights and their time to this work. Other members of the research team contributed to our overall understanding of genetic services, including Laura Mae Baldwin, MD, MPH, Daniel Beckett, MA, Judith Benkendorf, MS, CGC, Helen Travers, MS, CGC, Julie Mansour, MBA, Cynthia Gordon, PhD, and Pamela Saunders, PhD. Correspondence to Ms. Lea, Foundation for Blood Research, P.O. Box 190, 8 Nonesuch Road, Scarborough, ME 04070-0190. E-mail: dlea@fbr.org

KEYWORDS

genetic nursing • advanced practice nurses

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To describe characteristics and professional roles of genetics nurses in advanced practice.

Design: A cross-sectional descriptive survey administered in 2004 as one component of a comprehensive study of genetic services and the health workforce. The sample was 211 U.S. members of the International Society of Nurses in Genetics.

Methods: The survey included demographic characteristics, education, credentials, professional roles, and attitudes about genetic healthcare issues.

Findings: The majority of respondents had master's degrees and many had earned doctorates in nursing (20%) or other fields (12%). Thirty-one percent were certified as nurse practitioners; 57% provided direct patient care, with the largest percentage working in genetics (26%) or oncology (22%) settings. Over one-third were educators and 19% conducted genome-related research.

Conclusions: Genetics nurses in advanced practice in the US focus on both genomic discoveries and clinical health care through the application of genomic knowledge into health care, research, and nursing education.

Accepted for publication April 25, 2006.

DIGITAL OBJECT IDENTIFIER (DOI)

10.1111/j.1547-5069.2006.00105.x About DOI