A Scoping Review: Do instruments measuring genomic competence in nursing incorporate ethics?

AIM

To explore the instruments used in measuring genomic competence in nursing. The objective was to understand how ethical issues are reflected in the instruments.

DESIGN

A scoping review.

METHODS

A systematically conducted scoping review was conducted by using CINAHL Complete and Medline databases covering the years from January 2010 to January 2022. Two authors inspected potentially eligible papers and assessed their quality independently using the critical appraisal tools of Joanna Briggs Institute. Twenty-five articles were eligible including 19 different instruments. Included articles answered the research question: "How ethical issues are reflected in instruments measuring genomic competence in nursing?" The inductive thematic analysis was used in this review.

RESULTS

Descriptions of ethical themes were unstructured in the scoped articles and instruments. Not all genomic competence instruments covered ethical aspects. Only three studies asked direct questions by using the word ethics or its derivates, including confidentiality in solving ethical problems, familiarity with the ethical aspects of genetic counselling and ability to identify ethical issues. Thirteen articles included ethics-related themes encompassing knowledge, skills, concerns, advantages and disadvantages.