With this project, which is jointly sponsored by NINR and the National Human Genome Research Institute, Frazier will broaden the interdisciplinary base for future research and clinical practice on the prevention and treatment of hypertension. That study, coordinated by Barry Davis, M.D., professor of biometry at the School of Public Health, is being undertaken to see if there is a genetic component to response to blood pressure medication. Her fellowship also includes an ethical component to enable nursing to have a voice in influencing future policy-making in the area. Boerwinkle is enthusiastic about Frazier bringing to genetics research the nursing perspective of providing better outcomes for patients. All of health care is going to need to learn more about genetics.
Nurses are one group that's been left out of the equation so far.
Sandra K. Hanneman, Ph.D., associate dean for research and evaluation at the School of Nursing, says that genetic research can bring an added dimension to nursing care. Right now, nurses tend to do interventions for whole population groups. Knowing patients' genetic predisposition would help us target their education and care more effectively. Genetics is a wide-open frontier, says Frazier, who is extremely passionate about the necessity for genetics education for nurses. For us to leave genetics out of our profession would be a mistake.