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Israeli nurses and genetic information disclosure
1Nursing Department, School of Health Professions, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. sivia@post.tau.ac.il
Nursing Ethics
|April 27, 2007
Summary
Nurses believe patients should share genetic test results with at-risk relatives. However, they also emphasize respecting patient privacy and are unlikely to disclose information if the patient refuses, preferring to facilitate family communication.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Genetics
- Nursing Practice
Background:
- Ongoing ethical debate regarding the duty to disclose positive genetic test results to at-risk relatives.
- Lack of investigation into the role and views of nurses in this genetic information disclosure debate.
- Previous research has focused on physicians and genetic counselors, overlooking nursing perspectives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the theoretical opinions and practical approaches of nurses regarding patient disclosure of genetic test results.
- To understand nurses' views on their duty, if any, to disclose information when patients refuse.
- To explore the potential role of nurses in facilitating communication between patients and at-risk family members.
Main Methods:
- A study was conducted with a sample of Israeli nurses untrained in genetics.
- Nurses were surveyed for their theoretical opinions on genetic test disclosure.
- Participants were asked about practical steps they would take if a patient refused to disclose results.
Main Results:
- Nurses strongly agreed that patients have a duty to inform at-risk family members about positive genetic test results.
- Nurses also strongly affirmed the importance of respecting patients' decisions regarding disclosure.
- Few nurses indicated they would take practical steps to disclose information against a patient's wishes.
Conclusions:
- Nurses prioritize patient autonomy while acknowledging the importance of familial genetic information sharing.
- The primary role for nurses in this context is facilitating cooperation and communication between patients and their families.
- Further research is needed to define nurses' specific responsibilities in genetic counseling and disclosure scenarios.
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