DESIGNER GENES AND CRITICAL CARE NURSING - THE FUTURE IS NOW

Discoveries about the human genetic code and innovations to manipulate genes are rapidly advancing. Laboratory strategies used for recombina nt deoxyribonucleic acid techniques have revolutionized medication pro duction and have led to experimental protocols for gene therapy. The i mplications for critical care nursing practice are profound. To keep p ace with new discoveries, critical care nurses now need to consider th e impact of advances in genetic engineering on their practice. Nurses assisting with gene therapy protocols will need to not only update the ir knowledge of genetics but also learn the fundamentals of recombinan t technology. Administration of genetically engineered medications alm ost certainly will lead to new clusters of side effects and new routes for delivery. A multitude of ethical considerations such as biosafety and patient selection raises a realm of clinical practice implication s. To provide the care that critically ill patients require. practitio ners will need to update their knowledge constantly about the rapidly changing discipline of genetics and how advances in genetics relate to nursing and medical practice.