Geneic Nursing Assessment: Genetic/Genomic Nursing

Genetic Family History Assessment All nurses, no matter where they practice, need to have proper training in genomics and genetics to provide the best information to clients regarding recognition, prevention, and/or treatment of diseases (Thompson & Brooks, 2011). A genetic family history can help clients discover the unique patterns of health and illness within their family. In this paper, I will complete a Genetic/Genomic Nursing Assessment using the information found in Kaakinen, Coehlo, Steele, Tabacco, & Hanson’s text (2015) in Box 7-7 (p. 198), identify three generations of a family, analyze the genetic health risks, and consider nursing strategies for this family. The woman featured in my genetic assessment will be referred to as LG.
Currently, LG takes medication for high cholesterol. She has been informed this is likely genetically inherited from her father and cannot be controlled with just diet and/or exercise. She goes yearly to her primary physician to manage this condition. She has one sibling with bipolar disorder and the other two do not have any medical problems. Her oldest brother and his family provided most of the hands-on care for their father a few years before he died and this has helped LG, her siblings, and all of the family members be more vigilant about staying healthy, eating well, exercising, and getting regular medical checkups. LG stated that her family stays well educated regarding their health and family history and if they have any questions about the genetic problems in the family, they will typically research the internet and follow up with their general
Using nursing strategies that are unique for each family based on their individual genetic and genomic variations is fairly new in the area of nursing (Munro, 2014) and interventions for this family should be tailored to helping them keep up on current information about heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, which are the main medical issues in their family medical history, and having a plan that ensures they continue getting regular health checkups. In conclusion, it is important for nurses to have proper training and information in the area of genetics and genomics so that it can be used in daily clinical practice (Thompson & Brooks, 2011). Using this information with clients and conducting a detailed genetic nursing assessment is a valuable component of being an effective health care provider and can help clients recognize, prevent, and/or treat diseases that are unique to their particular