Genomics Nursing Faculty Champion Initiative

Abstract

Nurse faculty are challenged to keep up with the emerging and fast-paced field of genomics and the mandate to prepare the nursing workforce to be able to translate genomic research advances into routine clinical care. Using Faculty Champions and other options, the initiative stimulated curriculum development and promoted genomics curriculum integration. The authors summarize this yearlong initiative for undergraduate and graduate nursing faculty.

Increasing nursing capacity in genomics: Overview of existing global genomics resources

“…An essential element of implementation science is literacy in the language associated with a given innovation, in this case genomics (Williams et al, 2017). Published strategies focused on genomic implementation initiatives that include nurses have started with awareness campaigns to facilitate nurses recognizing that genomics is relevant to their practice (Bennett et al, 2010; Jenkins et al, 2015). This is supported by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation theory, which emphasized that individuals presented with an innovation, benefit from a recognized need for the innovation to facilitate uptake of learning opportunities on the pathway to adoption of the innovation (Rogers, 2003) and is consistent with Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory (Knowles et al, 2015).…”

Methods of Genomic Competency Integration in Practice

“…This pre‐assessment survey was a shortened version of the Genetic/Genomic Nursing Practice (GGNPS) instrument, which also included questions reflective of stages of change consistent with the survey utilized for faculty champions (Jenkins & Calzone, ). They were requested to administer the GGNPS survey (Calzone et al., ) to all institutional registered nursing (RN) staff at baseline and at the conclusion of the intervention period; attend an in‐person kick‐off training meeting; create an institutional‐specific action plan and provide quarterly updates on the status of their policy and education initiatives that included genomics; participate in monthly webinars for education, updates, networking, and support; participate in three virtual site visits, which included both champions and the chief nursing officer (CNO) for at least one visit; participate in a 1‐year follow‐up summary meeting; and complete an overall program evaluation.…”

“…Two educational models provided guidance for consideration when designing this project. An end‐of‐life study (Ferrell, Virani, & Malloy, ) and a faculty champion initiative (Jenkins & Calzone, ) provided the authors options and models to present to the dyads for consideration. However, there was no precedent for interventions used or evidence of outcomes of specific competency initiatives specific to genomics in nursing practice.…”

Educating future nursing scientists: Recommendations for integrating omics content in PhD programs

“…The need to incorporate genomics into nursing curricula and the lack of faculty training and expertise with genomics have been addressed in the literature over the past 10 years; however, the major focus has been on nursing practice , Jenkins and Calzone, 2014, Jenkins and Calzone, 2012and Lea et al, 2011. Our work group advocates for the incorporation of omics content into the PhD curricula and an increase in faculty expertise in omics science and methods in order to educate the next generation of nursing scientists.…”

“…The need to incorporate genomics into nursing curricula across all levels of practice has been addressed in the literature over the past 10 years , Jenkins and Calzone, 2014, Jenkins and Calzone, 2012and Lea et al, 2011, and competencies in genetics have been established for all levels of practicing nurses (Consensus Panel on Genetic/Genomic Nursing Competencies, 2008;Greco, Tinley, & Seibert, 2012). However, PhD curricula that prepare nursing scientists to conduct research and educate future generations of nurses have not received the same attention.…”