Amy Strauss Tranin, Agnes Masney, and Jean Jenkins (Eds.), Oncology Nursing Press, 125 Enterprise Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15275-1214 (866) 257-4667, (412) 859-6100 http://www.ons.org ISBN 1-890504-31-9, 2003, soft cover, 336 pp., ONS member $52.00, nonmember $68.00

I had always believed the topic of genetics was above my level of comprehension, overwhelming, and not especially relevant to my area of practice, especially since my staff development and medical-surgical roles were not focused solely on oncology. After reading this book, I have changed my opinion. This book will be a useful reference to all areas of nursing practice.

Age is the largest risk factor for most cancers. The number of baby boomers nearing their sixties will mean that some understanding of genetics will be imperative, no matter what your field of nursing practice is. The authors state that genetic changes influence disease susceptibility and development, thereby affecting all of us.

There are numerous strengths in this text. The editors have collaborated with numerous authors, thereby providing a wealth of knowledge and expertise from many areas. The book is easy to read and does not have to be read in sequence, making it truly a good reference. Chapter 1 describes why oncology nurses should be interested in genetics. I would expand that to include all nurses. There is a quiz in this chapter to show how often genetic information is used in practice. It might be more than you think. All of the chapters are written in easy-to-understand language. I was actually excited when reading about the biology of cancer! The review of biology and how it relates to genetics and cancer development brought clarity to many nursing interventions. It also provides some understanding regarding where nursing practice will be focusing to appropriately assess and care for patients with a nursing diagnosis. Other chapters may not be as applicable to practice if oncology is not your field: how to provide genetic counseling, establishing a cancer genetics clinic, nurse credentialing in genetics. You can easily jump from chapter to chapter and quickly peruse the chapter to get an idea of the content.

This text is excellent for nurses at all levels of practice (e.g., beginning, experienced, and advanced) who need a more in-depth understanding of the field of genetics and how it relates to the oncology patient. The staff development educator will find it exceptionally useful when planning and implementing programs for both oncology and general medical-surgical clinicians. It will also create a heightened awareness of the topic and make a practitioner less fearful of learning more about the topic of genetics.

Reviewed by:

Carolyn Russett, MS, RN, BC, ONC

Manager, Community and Patient Education, Cape Cod Healthcare, Hyannis, MA.