A partnership approach to genetic and genomic graduate nursing curriculum: Report of a new course’s impact on student confidence

Abstract

Background: Genetics and genomics have historically not been included in nursing curricula but are increasingly important in health care delivery. A course was developed through a collaboration between nursing and pathology faculty, combining nursing practice and genomics content expertise. Method: Graduate nursing students enrolled in the course self-reported confidence in the 38 American Nurses Association essential genetic and genomic competencies prior to, immediately after, and 9 months after completing the course. Results: Before the course, students reported low confidence across all competencies. Students indicated a significant improvement in confidence in all competencies with an average 2-point improvement on a 5-point Likert scale, both immediately and 9 months after course completion. Conclusion: A course rooted in basic science directly linked to nursing application can prepare nurses to develop a sustained confidence in core competencies. Cross-disciplinary collaborations with faculty who have expertise in genomics may be an effective strategy for nursing programs.