Oncology Nurses Can Help Patients Understand At-Home Genetic Testing

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTCGT) has entered the prime-time stage. It’s difficult to watch TV without seeing ads touting the simplicity of DTCGT and what it can tell you, and it even made Oprah’s 2017 Favorite Things List.

Timing is often everything. In February 2018, I was approached by a hospital to do an educational grand round for the entire medical staff, and DTCGT was a suggested topic. They needed the program for March 6, 2018. Although I’ve answered plenty of questions on DTCGT, penned a Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing column about it, and was interviewed about it for a popular consumer magazine, I didn’t have a handy deck of slides ready to go. But I accepted the challenge and found I easily filled an hour with content. I even stayed 35 minutes after the presentation was over to answer various questions. To me, it’s clear—the interest is there.