Nurses' Genetic/Genomics Competencies when Medication Therapy is Guided by Pharmacogenetic Testing: Children with Mental Health Disorders as an Exemplar

Prows, Cynthia A.; Saldaña, Shannon N.

doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2008.02.033

« Previous Next »Journal of Pediatric Nursing
Volume 24, Issue 3 , Pages 179-188, June 2009

Nurses' Genetic/Genomics Competencies when Medication Therapy is Guided by Pharmacogenetic Testing: Children with Mental Health Disorders as an Exemplar

Division of Patient Services, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Division of Human Genetics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Division of Pharmacy, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

published online 05 September 2008.

There is considerable variability in the effectiveness and toxicity of psychotropics used to treat mental health disorders in children and adolescents. Pharmacogenetic (PG) testing is beginning to be used to decrease the time it takes to reach therapeutic response and decrease the occurrence of adverse drug reactions in children and adolescents treated with psychotropics. This article reviews the pharmacogenetics literature and uses a clinical scenario to illustrate the essential genetic/genomics competencies pediatric nurses need to meet when providing care to patients whose medication therapy is being guided by PG testing.

Key words: Pharmacogenetics, Drug response, Nursing, Nurses' role, Mental health, Psychotropics