A person of Mediterranean descent may have low blood levels of hemoglobin.
a. Describe why this is true and why nurses need to be aware of these differences in hemoglobin levels.
b. Explain how hemoglobin levels may affect a person’s health.
2. Michelle is a 42-year-old African American woman who is 12 weeks pregnant. She works as a waitress and finished her high school diploma (GED) when she was 21 years old. She is worried because she heard that her baby may have sickle cell disease even though she and her husband do not.
a. How would you help Michelle understand the genetics of sickle cell?
b. Would it be reasonable to tell Michelle that the baby can be tested? Why or why not?
c. What other factors should you consider in shaping your discussion with Michelle?
