Insights from Pre-licensure Students/Faculty: Implications for Genetic/Genomic Competency in Advanced Practice Nurses

The implementation of new competencies is often challenging in nursing education. Particularly challenging are the basic genetic/genomic nursing competencies that have been established for all nurses, and the additional competencies advocated for the advanced practice nurse (APN). For current and new DNP programs, the attainment of the DNP Essentials outcomes assumes the prior attainment of BSN Essentials outcomes, which include these recent genetic/genomic core competencies. Accordingly, APN programs need to build on those recommended core genetic/genomic competencies that should have be achieved in prelicensure programs. The purpose of this presentation is to identify existing genetic/genomic knowledge gaps/specific learning needs of incoming graduate-level APN students and the available resources to enhance genetic/genomic competency. A focused review of the literature and synthesis of findings from studies of pre-licensure students, faculty, and programs was conducted related to: 1) genetic/genomic competencies being taught, 2) perceived importance of faculty toward genetic/genomic competencies, and 3) evaluation of student genetic literacy levels. Very few research studies examined the delivery of genetic/genomic content, attitudes of responsible faculty, and/or the assessment of genetic literacy levels either upon entry or exit from advanced practice nursing programs. We will present an overview of existing genetic/genomic faculty resources, genetic literacy assessment tools, and insights and implications for both incoming and graduating advanced practice nursing students. Through research inquiry, we found variation within and across faculty regarding perceived importance of genetic/genomic competencies and in the competencies actually being taught. Few competencies were viewed overwhelmingly as both important and also taught in nursing curriculum. For example, in one study, out of 27 genetic/genomic competencies, only two were identified both as moderately/very important to teach and also as being taught by 80% or more of the responding schools of nursing. In addition, we identified genetic/genomic concepts and competencies at greatest risk of not being reached. Use of genetic literacy tools early in the graduate nursing education curriculum can assist APN faculty in tailoring course assignments which address learner gaps and facilitate achievement of graduate genetic/genomic competency achievement.