Advanced practice nurse pharmacogenomics capacity and utilization.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Pharmacogenomics
• Clinical Practice

Background:

• Pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing, guided by Clinical Pharmacogenomic Implementation Consortium (CPIC) guidelines, optimizes medication selection and dosing.
• PGx implementation aims to enhance drug efficacy and reduce adverse events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess pharmacogenomic (PGx) curricular content, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and usage among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs).

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to assess PGx-related education, self-reported knowledge, skills, attitudes, and clinical usage.
• Data from 266 APRNs were analyzed to evaluate current PGx integration in practice.

Main Results:

• Only 48% of APRNs reported pharmacogenomic curricular content in their education, which correlated with familiarity but not knowledge confidence.
• Pharmacogenomic test ordering was low (29%), with 84% never using CPIC guidelines.
• A significant barrier identified was not knowing which PGx test to order (48% of those not planning future orders).

Conclusions:

• Deficits in APRN pharmacogenomic knowledge and skills persist despite academic training, hindering practice integration.
• Low usage of PGx testing and CPIC guidelines indicates a gap between education and clinical application.
• Recommendations include curriculum assessment, targeted training, policy changes by the Commission of Collegiate Nursing Education, and continuing education for practicing APRNs.