ABSTRACT
Genetic nurses and counsellors work as part of the professional team providing clinical genetic services from regional centres in the United Kingdom. The education and training needs of genetic nurses and counsellors have not previously been formally identified. The guidelines presented have been devised to equip practitioners to fulfil their professional role as defined in a previous study, by identifying objectives, educational pathways, and means of assessment. While academic courses provide an essential framework, experiential learning in a clinical setting is also considered a vital component of the preparation for practice.
Subject(s)
Education, Graduate , Education, Nursing, Graduate , Genetic Counseling , Genetics, Medical/education , Guidelines as Topic , Humans , United KingdomABSTRACT
The role of the genetic nurse has evolved historically with the emergence of clinical genetics in the field of health care. During 1994, a Practice Working Party was convened by the Genetic Nurses and Social Workers Association in response to discussion about the role of the nurse within and between regional genetics centres. The Working Party conducted a study of the current nursing practice and attitudes of nurses and clinicians to the nursing role, as a basis for future discussion and planning for educational needs. This paper describes the role of the genetic nurse within the United Kingdom and offers suggestions for assessment of competency. Strong themes emerging from respondents' comments include the need and desire for multi-professional team work, and it is apparent that most respondents felt the families' needs would best be served by a skilful combination of medical and nursing input, rather than adherence to traditional roles.
Subject(s)
Genetics, Medical , Specialties, Nursing , Genetic Counseling , Home Nursing , Humans , Psychotherapy , Role , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
We report a pair of siblings whose common clinical features of cleft palate, hypoplastic auditory meati and preauricular skin tags suggest the common inheritance of an autosomal recessive gene despite the findings between the siblings of disparate clinical features involving the central nervous and skeletal systems.
