HRSA has released an expert panel report that calls for expanded genetics education and training for America’s nurses and other health professionals.

The new report, "Expert Panel on Genetics and Nursing: Implications for Education and Practice," found that fewer than 10 masters and doctoral programs currently exist to prepare nurses in genetics.  Improved patient care will require that faculty, students and practitioners are educated in genetics, the report concluded.

The expert panel, convened in September 2000 by HRSA and the National Institutes of Health, identified five principles to improve genetics education among nurses and other health professionals:

• to promote access to quality health care for all, genetic education should focus on preparing providers to care for underserved, vulnerable, and special needs populations;

• academic nursing leaders and health professional faculty should be committed to a long-term plan to meet the genetic care needs of the public by 2010 and beyond;

• education programs should be interdisciplinary and focus on the translation of genetic knowledge into practice and research;

• genetic content should include molecular biology (genomics and protenomics) and the social, ethical, economic and legal implications of genetic knowledge; and

• the nursing workforce should be culturally competent, should reflect cultural, racial, and ethnic diversity, and should be distributed geographically to serve in all areas of the country.

The five principles guided the expert panel in creating comprehensive recommendations that address genetics education programming, dissemination of genetics information and technological advances, interdisciplinary programs, collaborations and partnerships, and workforce issues. Panelists urged that genetics content be broadly applicable across the health professions and said the best use of Federal resources is in interdisciplinary genetics education for the health professions.

The HRSA/NIH partnership is the first step in furthering the genetics agenda in nursing education and practice.  Copies of the report (inventory code #BHP00177) may be obtained by calling the HRSA Information Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-HRSA or by visiting www.ask.hrsa.gov on the Web.