How To Become A Research Nurse

‘’For me, it’s a job filled with hope and potential, because you know that, together with your participants, you are helping to shape medical advances in care and treatment for the future.”

Jessica writes an inspiring account of what her job entails, what it’s like in the day-to-day, and what you would need to know if you wanted to become a Research Nurse.

What Is Research Nursing?

Research forms the backbone of clinical practice.

Without it, there would be nothing to explain why a particular medical intervention is needed, and no rationale for why one drug should be used instead of another.

Most importantly, we need research to develop new treatments which could potentially save thousands of lives and improve the quality of life for the patients we care for.

Covid-19 brought research to the forefront of public awareness, showing how essential research is to advance healthcare and find solutions to global health problems.

So Where Does The Research Nurse Fit In?

Essentially, Research Nurses are the hands and feet of research.

They are the ones who recruit participants to a trial, complete their clinical visits, administer medication, liaise with the multidisciplinary team, collect and record data, explain the protocol to the patient, and ensure each person is safe and well cared for throughout the trial.

The bottom line is - a Research Nurse is first and foremost a nurse, caring for participants, and guiding them through the clinical trial process, similar to how a Surgical Ward Nurse would guide a patient through their pre-op and post-operative journey.

What Skills Do I Need?

You need to be able to pay attention to detail.

Clinical trials follow meticulous policies and procedures, literally down to dotting i’s and crossing t’s! So, it’s important you have a thorough and systematic approach to recording important data that will be collected and collated for analysis. You need to readily assimilate information, especially the trial protocol, so you can clearly explain it to your patient.

Research trials require you to be highly organised, making sure you keep up with the constant flow of emails and completing all the relevant training for each trial. You will need to plan, prepare clinical kits and facilities for patient visits, and manage your time effectively to ensure you send off blood samples and complete clinical tests per the protocol’s instructions.

Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines are the ethical gold standard for all professionals involved in research, and a fundamental legal component of this is Informed Consent.

This basically says that all participants who are recruited into clinical trials need to understand what they are signing up for. You need to make it clear to them what the risks are, and the benefits, of participating in the study. You need to be able to answer their questions and help them understand that they are free to withdraw at any time, without having to provide any reason if they don’t wish to. And you need to put them at ease and follow up before and after visits to make sure they are happy with how everything is going.

How Did I Find Myself In Research?

I applied for a Band 6 role in a respiratory trials unit with no prior research experience. A friend who works as a Speech and Language therapist recommended the role to me when I was close to burnout in my old post.

I was recruited into a nationwide Covid-19 study, which is conducted remotely, so the first few months of my role weren’t patient-facing. However, the shape of my role has changed since I’ve started to coordinate more clinical trials, and it has become a lot more varied.

I really enjoy the diversity of the job: working with the consultants, advocating for participants, getting involved in research forums, completing clinic visits, keeping up with administrative tasks and record keeping, and learning about new developments in medical treatments.

For me, it’s a job filled with hope and potential, because you know that, together with your participants, you are helping to shape medical advances in care and treatment for the future.

Sometimes I find the sheer amount of governance and regulation involved in research a little overwhelming, and it can be difficult to navigate through it all. It’s helpful to have the support of my colleagues who are more experienced and can guide me through the processes clearly.

A Day In The Life Of A Research Nurse

The general working pattern is 9-5, Monday to Friday, but you must be prepared to have some flexibility. For example, if a clinic visit ends up lasting much longer and you need to wait for some blood samples to be transported, you may end up working later than expected. Or you might need to cover some weekends if you have a trial which requires safety calls.

Overall, the hours are more sociable than the 12-hour shift patterns on the wards, but you still need to be adaptable.

I usually start my day by catching up on emails, answering data queries, liaising with trial coordinators, and uploading relevant trial paperwork for filing.

After a quick cup of tea, a patient comes in for their first screening visit. I make sure they’re comfortable, get them a drink, and then the doctor, my colleague and I talk them through their visit schedule, and what will happen each time they attend appointments. Then I complete a medical history, perform observations, take an ECG, take bloods, and complete a spirometry assessment which helps to measure how well my patient’s lungs are functioning. I’ll then centrifuge the bloods in the lab, which is a process used to separate blood into its different components so it can be preserved and sent on for further analysis.

The results of this assessment will determine whether my patient is eligible to take part in the trial, so I’ll go over it with the consultant who will review their results. If all is well, I’ll inform the patient and check they are happy to go forward with their next visit. Once my patient has left the clinic, it’s time for lunch.

The afternoon will be spent checking their paperwork, documenting their visit in the clinical record system, and uploading documents to the electronic site file (so there is a clear audit trail).

Finally, I’ll compile a paper folder containing relevant assessments and kit bags for the rest of the study visits.

What Does A Research Nurse Do?

To become a Research Nurse you need to be qualified with the NMC and employers usually prefer it if you have at least 1-2 years of clinical experience. It can help if you have worked in a particular area and choose the same research field, as your practice will greatly enhance your knowledge and skills. But this isn’t always a prerequisite.

Most employers want assurance that you have the clinical know-how and transferable skills, and they will provide you with the relevant training to complete your new role.

Research posts are advertised on NHS jobs. If you just want to dip your toe in and test the waters, the National Institute for Health and Care Research has plenty of information about local research networks across the country, and how you can become involved. 

For me, it’s a job filled with hope and potential, because you know that, together with your participants, you are helping to shape medical advances in care and treatment for the future.

The NHS is implementing policies to embed research into clinical practice, making it more visible and encouraging close collaboration between research teams and clinical practice. So, there are lots of emerging and innovative opportunities for different kinds of research nursing, such as a ‘hybrid’ role where nurses can feed their clinical practice into a research study.

You can also request a research placement while you are training to become a nurse, which will give you more of an idea of whether you would enjoy the role.

How Do I Apply?

You can apply to a post with little to no prior research experience as a Band 5 Registered Nurse, although employers often prefer it if you have some research background.

It’s worth mentioning that once you become a Research Nurse, plenty of opportunities for progression are open to you.

You can advance to Band 6 and Band 7 roles which vary in scope and can include management, becoming a lead nurse or specialising in a chosen field. Or you can go on to pursue a career in academic research, alongside your Clinical Research post, or even full-time.

The NIHR funds fellowships for healthcare practitioners interested in exploring the possibility of a doctorate in their chosen area and provides support for nurses who would like to undertake their own research study.

There’s also room for advocacy posts within your role, such as getting involved in Patient and Public Involvement, to encourage the public to engage with research and shape its development and delivery.

What Is The Pay Like For Research?

It depends on which sector you’re employed in e.g., public, or private.

NHS Trusts will pay you according to the Agenda for Change pay bracket relevant to your role, whereas a private pharmaceutical company will have their own pay rates.

Since more opportunities to progress have developed in research, it’s possible to eventually earn a salary of £47, 672 as an experienced Band 8a.

To find out more about pay rates, please visit our NHS pay calculator.

If you’d like to find out more about research roles, take a look at our most recent Research Nurse jobs here.