Other Titles
The Genomic-Ready Nursing Student: Preliminary N-SAFE-9 Findings on Opioid Safety and Pharmacogenomics Readiness [Poster Title]
Other Titles
Rising Star Poster/Presentation
Abstract
Genomic variation in drug metabolism significantly influences opioid safety, yet pharmacogenomics (PGx) remains minimally represented in pre-licensure nursing curricula, leaving graduates underprepared to interpret genetic results or apply gene-guided clinical decision-making. This pilot study introduces the Nursing Student Assessment of Pharmacogenomic Education (N-SAFE-9), a theory-informed, nine-item instrument designed to measure PGx knowledge, clinical confidence in opioid safety, and perceived system readiness to use clinical decision support (CDS). The instrument will undergo expert content validation followed by preliminary psychometric testing among pre-licensure nursing students at Northern Illinois University who have completed pharmacology coursework (target n = 45). Planned analyses include item performance, internal consistency, and domain-level score distributions, alongside qualitative feedback to support iterative refinement. Findings will inform the integration of CPIC-aligned PGx learning strategies into nursing curricula, identify faculty development needs, and evaluate system-readiness factors relevant to translational implementation. This work supports the development of genomic-ready nurses and advances safer, more personalized opioid stewardship in clinical practice.
Notes
References:
American Association of Colleges of Nursing. (2021). The essentials: Core competencies for professional nursing education.
Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC). (2020). CPIC guideline for opioid therapy and CYP2D6, OPRM1, and COMT.
American Nurses Association. (2009). Essential genetic and genomic competencies for nurses with graduate degrees.
Makary, M. A., & Daniel, M. (2016). Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US. BMJ, 353, i2139.
Sigma Membership
Beta Omega
Type
Poster
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Pilot/Exploratory Study
Keywords:
Pharmacogenomics, Opioids, Drug Administration, Nursing Students, Scientific Knowledge, Clinical Competence, Confidence, Patient Safety, Clinical Decision Support Systems
Recommended Citation
Aviles, Amaris, "The Genomic-Ready Nursing Student: Pilot Validation of the N-SAFE-9 Instrument" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 145.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/posters_2026/145
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-10-02
The Genomic-Ready Nursing Student: Pilot Validation of the N-SAFE-9 Instrument
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Genomic variation in drug metabolism significantly influences opioid safety, yet pharmacogenomics (PGx) remains minimally represented in pre-licensure nursing curricula, leaving graduates underprepared to interpret genetic results or apply gene-guided clinical decision-making. This pilot study introduces the Nursing Student Assessment of Pharmacogenomic Education (N-SAFE-9), a theory-informed, nine-item instrument designed to measure PGx knowledge, clinical confidence in opioid safety, and perceived system readiness to use clinical decision support (CDS). The instrument will undergo expert content validation followed by preliminary psychometric testing among pre-licensure nursing students at Northern Illinois University who have completed pharmacology coursework (target n = 45). Planned analyses include item performance, internal consistency, and domain-level score distributions, alongside qualitative feedback to support iterative refinement. Findings will inform the integration of CPIC-aligned PGx learning strategies into nursing curricula, identify faculty development needs, and evaluate system-readiness factors relevant to translational implementation. This work supports the development of genomic-ready nurses and advances safer, more personalized opioid stewardship in clinical practice.
Description
Pharmacogenomics (PGx) is critical for safe opioid prescribing, yet it remains underrepresented in pre-licensure nursing education. This pilot study introduces the N-SAFE-9, a theory-informed instrument designed to assess PGx knowledge, clinical confidence, and system readiness among nursing students. Findings will inform CPIC-aligned curriculum integration and support the development of genomic-ready nurses to enhance opioid safety and personalized pain management.