Felissa R. Lashley. New York, New York: Springer Publishing Co. 2007. 344 pages ISBN 0-8261-0222-0 Price (USA): $65.00 (softcover)

Felissa Lashley has a passion for the study of genetics, and it has been a career goal for her to instill the need for nurses to “think genetically” (p. vii). Her first genetics book for nurses, Clinical Genetics for Nursing Practice, published in 1984, is a landmark and classic text; it is currently in its third edition. This book, Essentials of Clinical Genetics in Nursing Practice, was developed to organize genetic information in a format that followed traditional nursing specializations and/or content areas so that faculty and/or practicing nurses, including nurses who specialize in intellectual and developmental disabilities, could focus on essential genetic information for that area.

Lashley’s Essentials is divided into two sections: the basics and the integration of genetics into nursing courses and curricula. The first section is divided into five chapters. The first chapter provides an overview of the impact of genomics and genetics on our lives. In the second chapter, Lashley provides a basic review of genetic concepts and principles. For those nurses needing a review of such topics as chromosomes and genes, DNA, RNA, protein synthesis, mitosis, and meiosis, this chapter is a must. The third chapter is devoted to human diversity with discussions of polymorphisms, the Rh system, blood groups, and the HLA system. Chapter four covers chromosomal abnormalities, single gene disorders, multifactorial disorders, environmental disorders, types of chromosomal errors, influences on gene actions and expression, and types of inheritance. The fifth chapter completes the section on the basics with a comprehensive overview of types of prevention (including screening and genetic counseling), genetic testing, and the current methods of treatment for genetic disease. Each chapter ends with either a summary of key points or a set of questions to consider.

The second section of the book is entirely devoted to covering key genetic conditions by the appropriate nursing course or place in the curriculum. The areas and/or specializations covered are pharmacology, health and physical assessment, obstetrics, pediatrics, medical-surgical/adult, psychiatric/mental health, community and public health, and trends, health policy, and ethics. Each chapter includes specific ethical, legal, economic, and social issues as applicable. Nursing roles and responsibilities are also detailed for each chapter.

It is important to note that Lashley includes numerous charts, illustrations, photos, and case studies as needed throughout the book to further explain the information presented. The book ends with a list of resources used in the book as well as suggested readings, a list of important websites for further professional information, a list of websites of organizations and groups that either provide information, products, and/or services related to various genetic conditions, and a glossary of terms.

Lashley’s new text is an essential addition to any nurse’s library, especially for the nurse who specializes in intellectual and developmental disabilities. Too often we try to simplify information for nurses, especially in areas of science. This text does not do this. Instead, Lashley thoroughly and succinctly presents current evidence-based information on genetic concepts and conditions (including those conditions that result in intellectual and developmental disabilities of either an organic or environmental origin), details the roles and responsibilities of nurses, including acquiring and using a “genetic eye” (p. vii) in assessment, weighs the advantages and disadvantages of current genetic interventions, and explains the various ethical, legal, economic, and social issues surrounding the knowledge of genetic conditions and their treatment. This text is not difficult to read, but it will cause you to stop often and consider what you have read and how you can put what you have learned into practice. This is especially true for nurses who specialize in intellectual and developmental disabilities, who will be able to enhance their practice after reading this text. It is time for nurses at all levels to have a comprehensive understanding of genetics and all of the components covered in this book. As we move forward in planning the future of health care for people of all ages across the world, genetics will play an enormous role in this total picture, and nurses need to be a part of such decision making. Lashley has laid the foundation for nursing programs to jumpstart this process. It is up to us to impart this information to our nursing students, today and tomorrow.

Reviewed by Wendy M. Nehring RN, PhD, FAAN, FAAIDD
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs,
Director of the Graduate Program,
and Associate Professor Rutgers,
The State University of New Jersey, College of Nursing