Outcomes of a genetics education program for nursing faculty

A multifaceted educational program designed to teach nursing faculty about genetics was first offered in 1997 and subsequently repeated on an annual basis. The specific aims of the program were to: 1) increase nursing faculty knowledge about genetics and its clinical application, and 2) increase genetics content taught in entry-level nursing education programs. The major components of the program included an annual Genetics Summer Institute (GSI), pre-planned follow-up strategies, and continuing education offerings. Measured outcomes included significant improvement in nursing faculty genetics knowledge and increased amounts of genetics content in their curricula. The majority of surveyed faculty focused curriculum change efforts on lectures or courses for which they were personally responsible. Thirty-one percent were working on, or had developed, elective nursing genetics courses after attending a GSI. These findings indicate that this program provided the necessary foundational instruction and resources to enable nursing faculty participants to bring about change in their curricula.