title: A Clinician's primer in human genetics: what nurses need to know.
abstract: This article provides nurses with general information about the structure and function of genes, metabolic and chromosomal disorders, and the inheritance of genetic conditions in families. It serves as a foundation for the remainder of this issue, which addresses the clinical application of genetic principles, genetic counseling and evaluation, and emerging genetic technologies. Nurses are present in all health care settings and care for individuals and families throughout their patient's life span. Nurses must therefore have adequate knowledge of human genetics so that they can identify individuals who may have a genetic condition or predisposition, and ensure that those individuals have access to the most current genetic diagnostics, treatment, and management therapeutics. With this knowledge, nurses can collect appropriate family histories, provide current genetic information, and support patients, families, and communities as they integrate this new information and technology into their daily lives.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Director, Southern Maine Genetics Service, Foundation for Blood Research, Scarborough, Maine 04070, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lea
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000235:genetics; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000235:genetics*; D005826:Genetics, Medical; D006801:Humans; D008661:Metabolism, Inborn Errors / Q000235:genetics; D008967:Molecular Biology; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics