title: Nurses' knowledge and educational needs regarding genetics.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurses now require a basic knowledge of genetics to provide patient care in a range of settings.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine Turkish registered nurses' current knowledge and educational needs in relation to genetics.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Turkish registered nurses working in a university hospital in Turkey were recruited.
  
  
  METHODS
  All registered nurses were invited to participate and 175 completed the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey instrument, basic knowledge of health genetics, confidence in knowledge and the nurses' need for genetics education were used to collect data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (81.1%, n=142) of participants indicated that genetics was not taught during their degree program, although 53.1% to 96% of respondents felt confident in defining different genetic concepts. The average genetics knowledge score was 6.89±1.99 of a possible 11 (range 0-11). The majority (70.3%) expressed a strong wish to attend a continuing nursing education program in genetics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study shows that although Turkish nurses are not sufficiently knowledgeable to apply genetics in practice, they are willing to have more education to support their care of patients. Nurses need to have more education related to genetics in accordance with advances in human genetics to optimize health care.
authors.affiliation: Koç University, School of Nursing, Koç Universitesi Hemşirelik Yüksek Okulu, Güzelbahçe sokak no. 20, Nişantaşı, Şişli, İstanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: memnunseven@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Memnun
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seven
authors.affiliation: Koç University, School of Nursing, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: aygulakyuz@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Aygül
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyüz
authors.affiliation: Haydarpasa Gulhane Military Medical Academy Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: burcuelbuken@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Burcu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Elbüken
authors.affiliation: Plymouth University Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, Plymouth, United Kingdom. Electronic address: heather.skirton@plymouth.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Skirton
authors.affiliation: Haydarpasa Gulhane Military Medical Academy Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: haozturk@gata.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Hatice
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Öztürk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing; D005260:Female; D005823:Genetics / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Confidence; Genetic; Knowledge; Registered nurse; Survey