AJN June Issue: Genomic Advances in CF, LGBT Care Disparities, Denying Smokers Jobs, More

AJN0614.Cover.OnlineAJN’s June issue is now available on our Web site. Here’s a selection of what not to miss.

The newborn featured on our cover this month is wrapped in a blanket decorated with a string of letters—better known as genetic code. Today, all newborns in the United States are screened for various inherited and congenital conditions, but the use of genomic sequencing at birth could provide information beyond what current screen­ing already provides—health information to go in their medical records for use in detecting and managing disease.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is one disorder that has been affected by recent developments in the field of genetics. The discovery of the CF gene in 1989, along with advances in molecular genet­ics, made it possible to screen for CF through DNA testing. Early diagnosis and prompt treat­ment of CF has been shown to improve patients’ overall health and survival. Genetic advances have also led to the development of promising drugs to treat CF. For more on the impact of genomic advances on diagnosis and treatment, and implications for nursing practice, read, Genomic Breakthroughs in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cystic Fibrosis,” and  earn 2.3 CE credits by taking the test that follows the article.

LGBT health care disparities. The health care disparities that affect people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) are closely tied to sexual and social […]

Sand, Surf, and CF

By Christine Moffa, MS, RN, clinical editor at AJN

Ever wonder how the staff at AJN decide what to put on our covers? We wanted an image that celebrated the summer, but we also wanted a tie-in with our CE feature. The August cover depicting children running down the beach at Sunny Shores Sea Camp, a four-day summer camp that caters to children with cystic fibrosis (CF) and their families, is a perfect fit. 

Some former colleagues once volunteered at the camp. Several years ago I was working on a pediatric floor where several of our patients had CF, ranging in age from toddlers to adults in their 30s. CF was long considered a childhood disease, due to a short life expectancy associated with it; even though life expectancy has drastically increased, these patients are still often treated on pediatric units, regardless of their age. This month’s CE, Original Research: Parents and Children with Cystic Fibrosis, is by Paula Harff Lomas, MAS, RN, CCRP, and Susan B. Fowler, PhD, RN, CNRN. According to Lomas and Fowler,

“More people with cystic fibrosis are living longer, reaching milestones like starting college, embarking on careers, and marrying. Many adults with cystic fibrosis are interested in starting families; one recent review notes that the number of live births to women with the disease has increased significantly. Thus, there’s a greater need for age-appropriate care in areas such as fertility and reproduction.”

The purpose of this descriptive study was to […]

Genomics, Technology, and Nursing: A “Focus on the Whole Person”

UK National DNA Infographic/ by blprnt_van, via Flickr Creative Commons

By Diana J. Mason, PhD, RN, editor-in-chief emeritus. Mason often writes for this blog about policy and research issues.

Last week, I attended the annual conference of CANS, the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science, the “research-facilitation arm” of the American Academy of Nursing. The title of the conference was “Technology, Genetics and Beyond: Research Methodologies of the Future.” 

‘Genomics’ vs. ‘genetics.’ I’m not a genomics researcher but I found the sessions enlightening in two ways. First, I admit to struggling with the terminology (and jargon) of the field. I was reminded today that the correct term for the field is “genomics,” since “genetics” refers to the study of single genes and thus limits the focus of study mostly to rare diseases.  Genomics looks at associations among genes in the whole person—a shift in perspective that was enabled by the mapping of the human genome.

Targeted interventions. The second enlightenment came from keynote speaker and senior nurse researcher Christine Miaskowski, a dean and a professor of physiological nursing at the University of California at San Francisco School of Nursing. She noted that this shift to a focus on the whole person is what makes nurses and nursing research […]

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