Families and genetics: Bridging the gap between knowledge and practice

The Human Genome Project (HGP) and news of genetic breakthroughs are pervasive to most of our lives today. Yet how many of us have had formal education in genetics? When and how do we integrate this knowledge into our clinical practice? This article discusses the relevance of genetics to newborn and infant nursing practice and how new genetic knowledge affects patients and their families. Approaches to educating clinicians about genetics within the context of the family are described, as newborn and infant nurses emphasize the family in their daily work and frequently work with children and families with genetic diagnoses. Education and research from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing are used as examples to describe the integration of genetics into the practice of nurses caring for newborns, infants, and their families. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.