The Family Nursing Practitioners (FPN) have crucial roles in ensuring policies on genetic technologies are implemented in hospitals. The FNP serve on committees that develop and advocate for policies that will improve the health care of all citizens including policies that involve genomics (Calzone et al., 2010). The FNP advocate for the biobehavioral aspect of patients which is a new perspective that enlightens policymakers. It emphasizes the importance of developing policies that encourage genomic health while respecting the rules of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) among all patients.
GINA has been essential in reducing the cases of discrimination based on genetics. However, the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act does not cover some issues which are problematic in the current age. GINA does not cover issues on health pertaining disability, life assurance and care insurance for the long-term (Feldman, 2012). The loopholes encourage discrimination of patients in hospitals and insurance firms while relying on the genetic makeup of the patient. GINA does not cover employees against employers who use medical conditions of the employees when making an employment decision (Feldman, 2012). The medical conditions often show the genetics of the employee thus an employer has the opportunity of making a decision based on the employee’s genetics which may lead to discriminatory decisions.
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The above information is relevant to the advanced nurse practice. The reason is that it is through understanding the role of FNP that the nurses will appreciate the functions of the FNP. It offers assistance in creating policies that are aimed to be the health of every patient despite the genetic makeup (Calzone et al., 2010). The knowledge on GINA will ensure the advanced nurses protect patients who may be discriminated due to their genetic makeup. Therefore, advanced nurse practice is essential in protecting the welfare of all the patients.
- Calzone, A. K., et al, (2010). Nurses transforming health care using genetics and genomics. Nursing Outlook. Vol 58, pp 26-35.
- Feldman, A. E., (2012). The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): Public Policy and Medical Practice in the Age of Personalized Medicine. Public Law and Legal Theory Research Paper Series Research Paper No. 12-13. Derived from http://ssrn.com/abstract=2007233.
