Precision Healthcare is a new approach to patients that considers genomics and genetic make-up with attention to patients’ preferences, beliefs, attitudes, knowledge and social context (Ginsburg & Phillips, 2018). Nowadays, genomic care is becoming the center of care and increasingly included in prevention, screening, diagnostics, prognostics, selection and monitoring of treatment for all individuals (Beery, Workman and Eggert, 2018; World Health Organization, 2020). In Finland, the use of genomic data is well positioned as Finnish biobank laws are very progressive and supportive in scientific fields (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, 2015). Genomic data is an example of big data that will significantly change the way healthcare is delivered in the future. This implies new capabilities and new opportunities to innovate healthcare globally. Without no doubt it will influence the future of nursing science as well as practice.
Nurses, as the largest global health professional workforce, who spend the most time with patients in both acute and community settings, and deliver direct care as well as patient family education, are essential for genomic translation into clinical practice (Tonkin et al., 2020). Imagine the future in which nurses are part in decisions regarding the prevention of diseases and promotion of health based on an individuals’ genetic makeup. Genomic applications have immediate implications for nurses which includes having the capacity to provide patient/family education or informed consent; the need to understand clinical testing processes and possible test outcomes; be aware of service pathways, ethical, legal, and socio-economic aspects (Tonkin et al. 2020).
The paradigm shift for nursing career development with a “Genomic Nursing Care Approach” is a sensible response to precision healthcare and the use of genomic data ethically and cost-effectively (World Health Organization, 2020). In our Randomized Controlled Trial study (Dumo et al., 2020) on the Effectiveness of web-based Genomics Nursing Education Intervention for undergraduate nursing students, we aim to evaluate a web-based genomic nursing education intervention in improving the knowledge gaps of nursing students in the field of genetics-genomics. We are currently testing two online educational interventions in order to provide evidence-based findings on nursing students’ knowledge and understanding on the topic. On completion of this study, the educational interventions can then be recommended as an integral part of the undergraduate nursing curriculum. My personal journey as a doctoral researcher with this topic has been highly interesting and opened totally new views on the scope of nursing after my master education. I have learned a lot on how to translate and arrange instrument testing, design the intervention as well as plan the data collection during Covid 19. I am pleased that the intervention is already over and post-measurements will be completed by March 2022. As a doctoral researcher I have had the opportunity to learn a lot of research and work with a highly international, national and multidisciplinary research team and being actively involved in an international organization. I personally feel I am shaping the future in our field.
Anndra Dumo Parviainen
Early-Stage Researcher
University of Eastern Finland
References
Beery, T. A., Workman, M. L., & Eggert, J. A. (2018). Genetics and Genomics in Nursing and Health Care (2nd Edition). USA: F.A. Davis Company.
Dumo, A. M., Laing, B., Lim, A. G., Palaganas, E., Abad, P. J., Valdehueza, O., … Vehviläinen-Julkunen, K. (2020). Randomized controlled trial on the effectiveness of web-based Genomics Nursing Education Intervention for undergraduate nursing students: A study protocol. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 76(11), 3136–3146. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.14477
Ginsburg, G. S., & Phillips, K. A. (2018). Precision medicine: From science to value. Health Affairs, 37(5), 694–701. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2017.1624
Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. (2015). Improving health through the use of Genomic Data Finland´s Genome Strategy Working Group Proposal. Reports and memorandums of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39192.719583.AE
Tonkin, E., Calzone, K. A., Badzek, L., Benjamin, C., Middleton, A., Patch, C., & Kirk, M. (2020b). A Roadmap for Global Acceleration of Genomics Integration Across Nursing. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 52(3), 329–338. https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12552
World Health Organization. (2020). Human genomics in global health. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/genomics/geneticsVSgenomics/en/