Advancing genetic nursing knowledge

Although genetic discoveries affect nursing education, practice, and research, the use of genetic principles in research design and methodologies is a recent approach in nursing science. This article describes results of a needs assessment to identify barriers and strategies to overcome problems encountered by nurse scholars in the integration of genetic principles into nursing investigations. A Delphi survey was conducted with attendees at a nursing genetics research consensus meeting. Understanding genetics, need for sensitive measures, limited resources, and difficulties in networking were major themes identified as barriers. Key strategies include educational preparation, appropriate research methods, institutional support, and research collaboration. Nurses must understand genetics in order to participate in knowledge discovery regarding relationships between genetics, health, and nursing. Integration of genetic concepts into nursing science requires development of collegial relationships among nursing researchers, as well as with those in genetics and related disciplines.