How To Become a Clinical Research Nurse Practitioner

Clinical research nurse practitioners are advanced practice nurses who work on clinical trials. They have a variety of job duties related to patient safety and research. To become a clinical research nurse practitioner, you'll first need to become a registered nurse, and then continue your studies. Keep reading to learn more about becoming a clinical research nurse practitioner.

Steps To Becoming a Clinical Research Nurse Practitioner

To become a clinical research nurse practitioner, you'll first need to become a registered nurse (RN), which requires a nursing degree and licensure. Then you'll need to return to school to become an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or nurse practitioner. We've broken down all the steps below.

1. Earn an Undergraduate Degree in Nursing

The first step to becoming an advanced practice registered nurse is to earn an undergraduate nursing degree. There are two basic options. These are an Associate Degree in nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN). Both these options allow graduates to take the NCLEX and obtain their licenses. Some students choose to earn an ADN, get their license, begin working as nurses, and then return to school through an RN-to-BSN program.

2. Pass the NCLEX and Obtain Nursing Licensure

Once you've graduated from an accredited nursing program, you'll be eligible to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This is a standardized test that all states require for RN licensure. Other licensure requirements may vary by state. Some states require passing a background check or certification in CPR or basic life support (BLS) before they will issue an RN license.

3. Acquire a Graduate or Doctoral Degree in Nursing

The next step to becoming a nurse practitioner is to complete a graduate nursing degree program. For nurse practitioners, these are available as Master of Science in nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.

While a master's degree is currently accepted for nurse practitioners, there is a push to require all nurse practitioners to hold doctorate degrees. As a result, a DNP may be the better option, although it takes a few extra years. MSN to DNP programs are also available.

Clinical research nurse practitioners usually focus on a specific area of clinical research, such as pediatrics or oncology. You'll need to choose that area of focus in your graduate program. You'll also need to earn your nurse practitioner license through a board for that specialization.

4. Gain Clinical Experience

In many cases, you'll need to gain experience working as a nurse before you can work as a clinical research nurse practitioner. The best way to do this is by gaining clinical experience in an acute care setting.

Acute care refers to inpatient care that is short-term, rather than chronic. For example, a patient coming in for a broken bone or pneumonia rather than cancer treatment or pregnancy. Acute care is practiced in emergency rooms, urgent care, and intensive care units.

5. Get a Clinical Research Nurse Practitioner Certification

While there is no certification specifically for clinical research nurse practitioners, several certifications are available through the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP). This includes the ACRP Certified Professional credential. You'll need 3,000 hours of research work experience related to human subjects. You can obtain this while completing your clinical rotations.

6. Maintain Nursing Licensure and Certification

To be able to continue your career as a clinical research nurse practitioner, you'll need to stay current on your licensure and certifications. If your license or certifications lapse, you won't be able to practice. Requirements for renewal can vary between states and certifications. You'll need to have completed a certain amount of continuing education hours. You may also need to pay a fee and take a renewal exam.

What Is a Clinical Research Nurse Practitioner?

Clinical research nurse practitioners are nurse practitioners who assist with and oversee clinical research trials. Clinical trials determine the effectiveness of:

• medications
• vaccines
• medical devices
• new treatments

Clinical trials could be run by:

• pharmaceutical companies
• research laboratories
• research organizations
• healthcare facilities

A clinical research nurse practitioner ensures that patient care is a top priority during the research process.

Responsibilities of Clinical Research Nurse Practitioners

As we mentioned above, clinical research nurse practitioners are responsible for ensuring patient care and safety during the research process, but also assist with research studies and evaluating research findings. We've broken down some of the primary responsibilities of a research nurse position.

Oversee Patient Consent and Safety

Because medical research often involves new treatments, those being tested in the trials must be fit to participate and understand what they are consenting to. As a result, a clinical research nurse practitioner's job may include:

• assessing patient eligibility by looking through medical records and performing physical exams
• using communication skills to properly explain all risks to patients, such as side effects
• obtain informed consent
• keeping a careful record of the results of the patient's physical exam and consent forms

Nurse practitioners must also keep patients safe. They do this by implementing safety procedures and ensuring that all research methodology keeps patient safety in mind.

Collaborate With Clinical Researchers

While clinical research nurse practitioners are primarily there to care for patients, they also collaborate with researchers on their research methodology and findings. This includes ensuring that all researchers are compliant with patient safety, but includes other things as well.

For example, a clinical research nurse practitioner may keep researchers updated on the side effects or benefits of the thing they're testing. They may also offer suggestions or collaborate on research.

Review Patient Medical Records

Patient medical records are important not just for patients but for physicians and nurses as well. They keep everyone appraised of what the patient has gone through. Clinical research nurse practitioners review patient records to determine eligibility and see how a patient's medical history may impact the trial results. During the trial, they'll update patient medical records and refer back to the records as needed.

Phlebotomy

Phlebotomy refers to drawing blood, either for donation or for laboratory testing. In a research setting, this blood is drawn for testing purposes. In a typical lab, lab techs or phlebotomists usually draw blood. However, in research trials, clinical research nurse practitioners may perform these tasks or oversee those who do.

In addition to drawing blood, clinical research nurse practitioners may take on other healthcare tasks. These may include administering medication, performing minor procedures, and referring patients to primary care doctors or specialists.

Assess Patients During Clinical Trials

One of the most important roles of clinical research nurse practitioners is to assess patients during clinical trials. They must make sure that the patients are not being harmed by the products they're testing. Clinical research nurse practitioners may take vitals and run lab tests to assess patients. They look at side effects and determine how they may be related to the trial.