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P. McCarthy Veach et al., Facilitating the Genetic Counseling Process,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74799-6_10
Chapter 10
Providing Guidance: Advice
and Influencing Skills
Learning Objectives- Define advice and influencing skills.
- Differentiate between clinical recommendations and other types of advice.
- Identify examples of types of advice and types of influencing responses.
- Develop advice and influencing skills through self-reflection, practice, and
feedback.
Genetic counselors are first and foremost health-care professionals. As such, in
clinical practice, they are obligated to know and to share relevant clinical informa-
tion and recommendations with their patients. This is not only an ethical responsi-
bility [NSGC Code of Ethics (NSGC 2017 )] but also a legal obligation (Schmerler
2007 ). It is crucial to differentiate between clinical information and recommenda-
tions and other types of advice and influencing responses in genetic counseling.
Clinical information and recommendations are drawn from the relevant scientific
and medical genetics literature as well as the collective clinical experience of prac-
titioners in the field of medical/clinical genetics and genetic counseling as docu-
mented in published practice guidelines. Both the National Society of Genetic
Counselors (www.nsgc.org) and the American College of Medical Genetics and
Genomics (www.acmg.net) publish clinical practice guidelines that can be accessed
through their public websites and/or peer-reviewed journals. Genetic counselors
must also be aware of relevant clinical practice guidelines published by other medi-
cal professional organizations (e.g., American Academy of Pediatrics, American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American Society of Clinical Oncology,
etc.). A detailed discussion of these types of practice guidelines is beyond the scope
of this text. The focus of this chapter is on other situations in genetic counseling
where advice and influencing responses may be appropriate.
Refraining from providing advice that is not medically indicated and protecting
patient autonomy have long been associated with the practice of genetic counseling.
The value of protecting patient autonomy is reflected in Section II of the NSGC Code