Nursing Genetics in 'Postgenome' Era

'포스트 게놈' 시대에서 간호학의 과제

  • Published : 2005.06.27

Abstract

Since the Human Genome Project(HGP) has begun in the mid 1980s, the sequencing of the human genome has been finally completed in 2001. The knowledge developed from the HGP has revolutionized how health care professionals think about patient care, mandating a new paradigm of patient care in totally inconceivable ways from the past. For instance, the patients at risk for disease can be identified early enough for intervention; the medicine can be tailored for individual patients based on their own genetic information ; the gene therapy could be a common procedure in the near future. The advancement in genetics, therefore, requires the shift of paradigm not only in nursing education, practice, but also in nursing research. It is attempted, in this article to introduce briefly the basic knowledge of genetics, the pharmacogenomics, and the overview of national genetic research initiated and organized by the Center for Functional Analysis of Human Genome in Korea. The current state of nursing genetic knowledge and its implications on nursing education, practice, and research has examined. Furthermore, the visions and the opportunities for nursing science and practice to participate in this genetic revolution were also explored.

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