Faculty Presentations Faculty Presentations: Ilknur Yesilcinar

Insights from five countries using the GGNPS survey to drive leadership strategies

Full list of poster authors

• Ilknur Yesilcinar, PhD, RN
• Mari Laaksonen
• Kathleen Calzone
• Arja Halkoaho
• Wang Honghong
• Jacqueline Limoges^SA

Conference where poster was previously displayed

2025 ICN Conference

Poster abstract

Background

The integration of genomics is commonly referred to as a global nursing challenge. Analyzing data from using the Genetics and Genomics Nursing Practice Survey (GGNPS) in Canada, Finland, Turkey, United States of America and China can generate international solutions to support nurses’ integration of genomics into practice. 

Methods

Comparative analysis of the data from seven GGNPS studies conducted between 2012 and 2023 in the five countries was undertaken to identify similarities and differences in responses. Purposeful guided dialogue between a group of experts was used to examine the findings of the comparative analysis, the context driving these survey results, and the related published literature to identify strategies to address survey results.

Results

In all five countries, the majority of nurses who responded to the GGNPS survey recognized the importance of being more educated about genomics, that genomics could provide advantages to patients, and that genomics is relevant to the role of the nurse. However, most nurses self-rated their knowledge as poor and the average knowledge scores generated through the GGNPS was 8.62/12. Nurses reported a lack of support from managers and senior staff for the integration of genomics. Over the past 11 years, the GGNPS survey results have remained largely unchanged. The results suggest that nurses do not feel prepared to deliver genomics-informed practices. Leadership and strategies to enhance the implementation of genomics into education and practice are urgently needed. 

Conclusion

The purposeful dialogue enabled a deeper understanding of nurses' perceptions, attitudes, experiences, and social supports impacting the integration of genomics and the identification of solutions. International initiatives such as the ACCESS framework, the G2NA Roadmap, and the Maturity Matrix can be leveraged to augment leadership strategies so that nurses feel supported by their managers and senior staff. These frameworks can also guide education to improve nurses' genomic literacy and genomics-informed practice. Education and policy can clarify nurses roles and responsibilities to enable nurses to fully participate in the genomic era of healthcare and genomics-informed practices.