Nursing and genetics: A feminist critique moves us towards transdisciplinary teams

Genetic information and technologies are increasingly important in health c are, not only in technologically advanced countries, but world-wide. Severa l global factors promise to increase future demand for morally conscious ge netic health services and research. Although they are the largest professio nal group delivering health care world-wide, nurses have not taken the lead in meeting this challenge. Insights from feminist analysis help to illumin ate some of the social institutions and cultural obstacles that have impede d the integration of genetics technology into the discipline of nursing. An alternative model is suggested - the transdisciplinary model - which was d eveloped initially by a nurse and introduced in the 1970s into the delivery of health care and social services for children with developmental disabil ities. This holistic model enables all health care professionals to have an equal voice in determining how genetic health care will be globalized.