Toolkit helps nurses use genomics in patient care

Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Nurses now have a way to integrate genomics into patient care -- an online toolkit launched by the National Human Genome Research Institute.

The online toolkit of more than 100 resources is known as the Method for Introducing a New Competency Genomics, or MINC, and was developed with the help of clinical educators and administrators to provide resources for nurses at all levels of genomics competency.

"The MINC toolkit is a starting point for healthcare providers who want to promote genomic integration into practice to benefit their patients," Dr. Laura Lyman Rodriguez, director of the Division of Policy, Communication and Education at NHGRI, said in a press release. "It was designed based on the efforts of Magnet hospital nurses whose experiences were used in the design and foundation for the toolkit."

Set up in a question and answer format, the toolkit allows users to base interventions on the resources best fit for their clinical setting. The toolkit is meant to help healthcare professionals stay current with the rapidly changing healthcare environment and assist nurses who care for patients undergoing genomic testing and treatments.

The toolkit could also help nurses build awareness of genomics in their community and train their workforces for emerging clinical applications.

Video testimonials under the Champion Stories also feature health administrators and educators describing how they developed knowledge of genomics and started offering more personalized care to their patients.