Ethical, legal, psychosocial, and cultural implications of genomics for oncology nurses.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize the role of oncology nurses in the ethical, legal, psychosocial, and cultural issues inherent in genetic testing for hereditary cancer risk and to describe the recent trend and implications of direct-to-consumer genetic tests.


METHODS
Published articles/books, legal rulings, professional organization statements.


CONCLUSIONS
Ethical, legal, psychosocial, and cultural implications are inherent in the growing field of genetic science that is transforming modern health care.


CONCLUSIONS
Nurses have a duty to be knowledgeable about and advocate for the ethical integration of genetic/genomic information into their patient's health care.
School of Nursing, and Ethics Education, MGH Institute of Health Professions, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. jtwomey@mghihp.edu
John
J
Twomey
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D005820:Genetic Testing; D023281:Genomics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000451:nursing*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000941:ethics*; D011584:Psychology