The Genetic Education and Counselling for Sickle Cell Conditions (GENECIS) is a short 40-hour course. The five-day multidisciplinary course is designed to expose trainees to experts from a wide range of related fields including human and molecular genetics, genomics, genetic counselling, health education, and psychology. The course presents opportunities to equip trainees with basic skills necessary to offer certificate-level genetic education, counselling, and support for people with sickle cell disease or sickle cell trait, and their families.
Genetic services form an important part of every health system and should be readily and easily accessible at all levels of the healthcare system through appropriate training of health professionals. The prevalence and burden of genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease in Sub-Saharan Africa necessitates training programmes in the provision of genetic services in this region of the world. Thus, this short course will help to train a workforce of healthcare professionals across Africa who are capable of providing essential information and support related to common genetic disorders with a focus on sickle cell disease, and the psychosocial challenges and cultural sensitivities often associated with these conditions.
ACCREDITATION
GENECIS is accredited by the Ghana Psychology Council for 20 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Points.Â
TARGET GROUPS
The GENECIS programme is suitable for health professionals (e.g. Nurses, Midwives, Physician Assistants, and Psychologists) who seek to gain knowledge on genetics, genomics, principles of counselling, genetic education, and patient support, and their applications to the current and effective management of sickle cell disease.
COURSE DURATION
The programme is a 5-day short course comprising of 40 hours of lectures, group work, and applied learning activities.
COURSE START DATE
Monday 21st June to Friday 25th June 2021
COURSE FEE
$250 or Cedi equivalent
REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF CERTIFICATE
Trainees must fully engage with the course during the 5-day period including active participation in all group and applied sessions as well as complete pre– and post–course assessments to earn a Certificate of Participation.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The five-day course has been structured to be conducted virtually given the current situation with Covid-19 from Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm each day. A faculty of well-experienced resource persons will lead different topics each day. Topics have been structured such that each day builds progressively on learnings from previous days to ensure easy engagement with the whole course for trainees.
OBJECTIVES
- To provide healthcare practitioners(trainees) with an overview of genetics within the context of sickle cell disease necessary to support their clients with basic explanations of the genetic bases of inherited and acquired conditions and their biopsychosocial implications.
- To equip trainees with essential psychosocial and counselling principles and skills to support effective communication of complex genetics-related health information with their clients of diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds.
- To offer the opportunity for trainees to further develop their professional skills and competencies in two extremely important areas of healthcare – genomics and sickle cell disease – in Africa.
At the end of this course, it is expected that participants will be able to:
- Explain common medical terminology related to genetics, genomics, and clinical as well as laboratory applications of genetics
- Construct a family tree/pedigree and evaluate core genetic screening and counselling needs of individuals and families affected by SCD and sickle trait
- Demonstrate an understanding of the inheritance of SCD and explain the clinical, familial, cultural, and public health implications of SCD and sickle cell trait
- Describe and discuss the causes, phenotypes, and pathophysiology of SCD and the medical and personalised management of this condition
- Outline the most common types of genetic tests and describe the tests for diagnosing SCD
- Identify individuals and families in need of genetic screening and genetic counselling
- Outline the stages of the counselling process and the importance of a positive therapeutic alliance
- Evaluate core support needs in SCD and tailor genetic information and basic counselling to patients and families of diverse sociodemographic and psychosocial needs
- Demonstrate understanding of current treatments and support services available for patients with SCD and families at risk of sickle cell conditions
- Explain the ethical and social implications of genetic testing and implications for non-directive informed consent processes
- Explain the relevance of health literacy and key strategies for effective community engagement including community messaging and health education on SCD
