Critical Social Theory In Nursing

In the article “Critical social theory approach to disclosure of genomic incidental finding” published in Nursing Ethics described nurse researcher role in disclosure of incidental findings in genomic researches. This situation created ethical dilemma. Technology in medical fields has developed to extents of genetics researches which also created complication of extracted gene-related information. This relatively new field in medicine has an opportunity to improving health, prevent disease and just as screening of population. However, with this advantage comes disadvantage as well. Many genetic testing revealed not only desire information about health but also some incidental findings which created dilemma in nursing practice regarding ethical

application of disclosure to participants. The authors of this article used critical social theory, that is a theoretical outline which can be used for disclosure of incidental findings, as a guide together with core ethical principles of autonomy and ratio of benefit to harm to evaluate ethical principles associated with revealing incidental finding and determine what implication it had for nursing practice. The ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence and maleficence must be considering when disclosing incidental finding in genetics researches. This issue should be a part of nursing discussion. As nurse who was involved in genetic research had a duty to be patient advocates in order to provide the best care. The advance in development technology in genomic testing keep progressing, bringing new cases of incidental findings. Ethical dilemma of releasing this information growing as well. In this case, the responsibility of researcher is to protect the rights of participants, but also work in a way to benefit society as well. As a result, it also increasing researcher nurses’ responsibility in disclosure of information to the family.