Being able to look at clients and families with a “genetic eye” has become critical for all nurses. Advances from genetic and genomic research have influenced all areas of health care and cross all periods of the life cycle. Genetic factors are responsible in some way for both indirect and direct disease causation; for variation that determines predisposition, susceptibility, and resistance to disease; and for response to treatment. When we look into the future of health care, we can see that genetic knowledge will have direct influences, including genetic screening and testing and personalized drug therapy. Nurses must be able to “think genetically” to help individuals and families in all practice areas who are.
