Nurses and Genetics

Testing for gene and genetic counseling has gain a lot more popularity over the decade. Last April the NCAA Division I Legislative Council approved mandatory testing of student athletes to determine if they are carriers of a potentially deadly sickle cell trait. What most do not know is how this affects a student athlete's future. Sickle cell trait (SCT) is not the disease but has been closely linked to many deaths amongst athletes during intense physical exertion.  The pathology is quiet simple. Individuals with SCT still carry an abnormal hemoglobin (S) that can potentially sickle, (change shape) blocking normal blood flow to tissues and muscles, when experiencing hypoxia and dehydration eventually leading to sudden collapse or death. Although many will still refused testing due to the potential discrimination they might face when learning that they carry the trait. There are still preventative actions to take when individuals have SCT. Individuals with SCT are generally healthy and are still able to participate in sports but must take precautions not to overly exercise and to stay hydrated. 

The point of this blog is to encourage nurses to be more involve in genetics.  Nurses will play an increasing role in genetics. Advances in DNA technology are leading to major developments in nursing practice in clinical genetics, including the creation of new roles for nurses who care for people with genetic conditions.  Application of genetic information and testing is moving genetics into the mainstream of health care. Therefore, it is anticipated that nurses in all areas of practice will become more involved in the provision of information about genetic testing and assisting individuals and families in decision making and adjustment to new genetic information. (Lea, Williams and Tinley, 1994) 

Study also show that a number of nurses admitted that they had insufficient knowledge about the genetic basis of disease inheritance patterns, ethical and legal issues, genetic counseling, gene testing and genetic engineering .  A number of nurses also stated they would like to attend a training course on these subjects. (Tomatir et al. 2006).

The following are list of reliable resources that will help your understanding of genetics and how nurses are involve. 

Lea, D. H., Williams, J. K., & Tinley, S. T. (1994). Nursing and Genetic Healthcare [Electronic version]. Journal of Genetic Counseling, 3(2), 113-124. doi:10.1007/BF01423173

Tomatir AG, Sorkun HC, Demirhan H, & Akdag B. (2006). Nurses' professed knowledge of genetics and genetic counseling. The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine. 210(4), 321-32.

ISONG

http://www.isong.org/index.php

The International Society of Nurses in Genetics  website explores resources and knowledge of human genetics into nursing practice, education and research activities. The site is easy to navigate which has a forum of  education and support to nurses providing genetic healthcare services. 

Genetic Education 

http://www.geneticseducation.nhs.uk/genetics-in-practice/genetic-activities-in-clinical-practice/competence-framework.aspx

This site are list of PDF files which provides a pathway of activities involving genetic knowledge, skills, and attitudes which may be carried out by non-genetics healthcare staff. 

CDC-Genetic Testing

http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/gtesting/

This site provides useful information about genetic testing at which how genetic testing is done to look for certain genes and mutations. This site also explains the limitation of genetic testing at which it can be use for decision making. 

Genetics

http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/genetics/overview.html 

This site provides information about genetics along with examples of some genetic disorders. 

Nurses Expanding Knowledge

Why nursing informatics?

Recently I am enrolled in a course called Nursing Informatics. I took this course as an elective because I wasn't too interested in another  elective genetic course. Frankly I also thought that genetics would be too difficult for me. As I begin the first week, I thought 'oh man more work'. But I do love nursing even with all its work. You could say that I am determine to grow and develop a better understanding in every arena of nursing. So the topic for this blog is why nursing informatics? 

"Nursing informatics are a combination  of computer science, cognitive science and nursing science" all spliced together to have better efficiency for our patients and the profession. To make it simple, we rely on all these information to guide what we do in nursing. Nurses often uses nursing theories and skills acquired from practice, information that is easily accessible and reliable for use in nursing intervention, and interfacing with technology like computer software to facilitate ease in communication and accuracy of care given. Dee McGonigle and Kathleen Mastrian asserted that "nursing professionals are knowledge workers who are information dependent. And as healthcare continue to evolve in an increasingly competitive information marketplace, professionals, the knowledge workers, must be well prepared to make significant contributions by harnessing appropriate, timely information. " 

Many times nurses rely on their own knowledge to choose an intervention for their patients but sometimes that knowledge can be inadequate so we access information from peers or search them via web. The problem is looking for accurate and safe information. How does a nurse know if that information is accurate or not? Hard to tell! So nurses must also learn how to use a clinical data base or nursing practice guidelines that maybe on  clinical informations system. 

Hmm..I know, suddenly I begin to think why this course was not a requirement for me to take ? Look how important it is! As nursing evolves and use of technology seem to evolve as well, we nurses must have accurate information and become technologically savvy for the most effective care. 

A part of nursing informatics, nurses must also learn how to manage information. There were discussions over ownership of health records, and concerns over access and security. The question was  "who 'owns' the Electronic Health Record. Is it the patient, the health system, the government, the insurance company, the health care provider, the owner of the computer system in which the EHR resides?" Of course I think that patients should have access to their own medical records and it is rightly theirs. But to be able to access those information developers of computer system must make it ideally easy to use for patients who will be users. These systems must also have passwords security and privacy protection for users so that information does not leak out. 

McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2009). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC.

Hopes for Nursing

Hello everyone, my name is Rey. This will be my very first blog. I'm an Rn that recently quit his job at an intermediate  neurology floor. My first blog will be about nurse burn out. 

Suppose that you do get burned out in nursing. YES. Its not so uncommon. Many nurses experience a burn out. I was one of those nurses. After a year and a half, I was no longer eager to stay in this profession. Nursing burnout means that a nurse no longer finds enjoyment in their profession and it occurs for a variety of reason. Mostly, because nursing is a very overwhelming profession filled with so many stressors. High patient acuity and not enough nurses are certainly things that could led to burn out. Another interesting causes of burn out is autonomy and lack of recognition of professional nurses. 

 I wasn't burn out because of the pressure and the intensity.  It was the lack of growth and not enough opportunity. I honestly didn't feel like I was being push to advance my skills. I was saying the same things and teaching the same kinds of patients. It felt like I was at a dead end. You might find it even odd, but if your floor that does not stimulate you to learn  anything new and not encouraging you to become the best nurse you potentially could be, its probably time for a transfer.  Fortunately nursing is a diverse field where you could do just about anything you wish. Oh and always be confident that you could do just about anything. You are a nurse and you didn't become a nurse so easily. You worked very hard in school and it's no use to be limited in just one floor. At least I didn't feel that way. I think you should also be proactive, so go learn!! 

How to avoid nurse burn out!