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Decide upon a specific job position in research in order to know what type of nursing degree you will need. Some nurses end up working in the lab mainly as phlebotomists, processing the blood and serum samples of research subjects for clinical trial protocols. This would require the most basic of nursing degrees, while a position as a Clinical Research Coordinator or in project management for study sponsors usually requires a more advanced degree like a Registered Nurse (RN).
It is also important to factor in how much time and money you have to commit to nursing school.
A Certified Nursing Assistant would be the quickest less expensive option, but you would not be trained to oversee the clinical considerations of a study the way an RN would be. It takes more education and money to become a Nurse Practitioner (LPN), but you would most likely be offered a more competitive salary at a research site that allows LPNs to conduct assessments and other procedures usually reserved for a medical doctor (like routine physical exams and writing prescriptions). - Specializing in a particular field of medicine is a good way to market yourself to research sites who conduct studies in your area of expertise. An Advanced Practice Registered Nurse degree includes Certified Nurse Specialists and Nurse Practitioners, who may specialize in areas of medicine like mental health or cardiology. An RN with an advanced degree in diabetes management should be at the top of the list in terms of credentials for a diabetes research clinic or a pharmaceutical sponsor who has multiple diabetes therapies in their pipeline.
- Expect a change if you are used to nursing in a hospital or doctor's office. By clinical trial mandates, the clinical team does not treat the study subjects. Your main objective is to evaluate for the purpose of the particular study protocol, whether it be for safety or efficacy data. The research staff is overseen by the Principal Investigator, an MD who ensures that all study procedures are conducted according to the trial's protocol, Good Clinical Practice, and other guidelines which ensure the safety and rights of research participants. Of course, all subjects are evaluated for adverse reactions to the study drug and treated--as well as sometimes removed from the study--if the Principal Investigator deems it necessary. But in general, a research nurse is expected to evaluate the study subject and any change in their health status, as well as report any serious findings to to the investigator and other appropriate agencies.
