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Genetic Counseling in Nursing and Ethics

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GENETIC COUNSELING IN NURSING AND ETHICS
Hyang Ko
Azusa Pacific University

Abstract
The current development of genetic information and technique leaves us assignments. It is included ethical issues, roles of nurses, and the responsibilities in healthcare professionals. In order to understand nurses’ role and responsibilities and to provide genetic counseling, two research article with text books were reviewed. There were conflicts within ethical principles and nurses’ obligation. Each principle is important but one principle is superior to others when healthcare professionals make a decision in a certain context. It is necessary that genetic counseling is provided to patients and their family when healthcare professionals deal with genetic information. The two research articles empathized that experienced nurses are excellent candidates in genetic counseling within healthcare professionals by being educated, trained about genetic information.

Genetic Counseling in Nursing and Ethics
Definitions of Genetics and Genetic Counseling
Officially, the terms of Genetics and genetic counseling is defined by Wekipidia as below:
Genetics, a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetics). Genetic counseling is the process by which patients or relatives, at risk of an inherited disorder, are advised of the consequences and nature of the disorder, the probability of developing or transmitting it, and the options open to them in management and family planning. This complex process can be separated into diagnostic (the actual estimation of risk) and supportive aspects (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_counseling).
The field of genetic counseling has developed rapidly with new biologic technologies. Fry, Veatch and Taylor (2011) has pointed out that “the rapid development of

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