title: Taiwanese nursing students' perceived knowledge and clinical comfort with genetics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine perceived knowledge and clinical comfort with genetics among Taiwanese undergraduate nursing students. Information about the integration of genetics into the nursing curriculum was also assessed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-report survey designed to assess perceived knowledge and clinical comfort with genetics was distributed to 501 Taiwanese undergraduate nursing students; 434 returned the completed survey. The survey also included questions concerning the integration of genetics in the nursing curriculum. Descriptive statistics and a one-way analysis of variance were used for data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perceptions of genetic knowledge differed significantly among the different levels of nursing students; juniors had the highest genetic knowledge mean scores, followed by seniors, sophomores, and freshmen. Juniors also reported receiving the greatest number of hours of genetic content in lecture. Clinical comfort with genetics did not vary significantly among the different levels of nursing students. The majority of nursing students considered lectures to be the most effective method for learning genetic information.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings reinforced evidence that perceived knowledge and clinical comfort with genetics among Taiwanese undergraduate nursing students are limited. It is imperative for practicing nurses and nursing students to promote the use of genetic information and technologies as a central science in the context of health care. More effort must be made to integrate genetic content into the Taiwanese nursing school curricula.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With the increasing pace of the genomic revolution, nursing students are required to integrate genetic information into the art of nursing practice with the goal of promoting the health of individuals, families, and communities.
authors: Lambda Beta-At-Large, College of Nursing, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan. vanriper@email.unc.edu
authors: Chiu-Yueh
authors: CY
authors: Hsiao
authors: Marcia
authors: M
authors: Van Riper
authors: Shu-Hsing
authors: SH
authors: Lee
authors: Suh-Jen
authors: SJ
authors: Chen
authors: Shu-Chin
authors: SC
authors: Lin