What is the Nurses’ Role in Clinical Research?
The world changes every day. Not only are technologies becoming more complicated, but also viruses and diseases have become more dangerous. The population of the Earth has grown significantly due to the advanced technologies in medicine that became possible thanks to numerous types of research. Clinical trials enabled people to overcome diseases that a hundred years ago were mortal.
What Is Clinical Research?
Clinical research intends to find more effective ways to heal people and to care. There are many types of research. Some of them are instruments for discovering new methods of treatment, and others intend to determine the side effects. They help to improve existing pharmacies, techniques, and methods of treatment.
The main types of clinical research are diagnostic, treatment, prevention, screening, and quality of life. The role of a chief medical officer consultant is crucial in developing a clinical development strategy that ensures each type of research is conducted effectively and efficiently, taking into account factors such as regulatory compliance, patient safety, and the overall goals of the research program.
Diagnostic type includes the latest approaches to diagnosing any disease, while screening aims to find the best possible method to detect diseases. Treatment research is related to testing drugs and new methods in surgery or radiotherapy. Prevention tests aim to find new ways to improve the quality of life to result in fewer diseases.
There are determined four phases of clinical research. The first stage involves a small group of people, usually up to 80. People are given the tested pharmaceuticals for the first time, and the purpose here is to determine doses and safety and see what side effects can be. The second phase involves a larger group of people, usually up to 300. In this phase, researchers want to see whether the treatment shows the results.
Phase 3 is more complicated and works with a large group of people, approximately 1000. Stage 3 has to confirm the effectiveness of the pharmaceuticals and compare the results to the treatment already presented on the market. In the last stage, researchers observe the risks, benefits, and consequences after a long usage period.
Functions of Nurses in Research
Although the role of the nurse in clinical research is not obvious, it is nevertheless important. Nurses are the joining contact between the patient and researcher. They play here more psychological role and communicate with the patient to enrol them in the research, having their informed consent. Nurses are supportive to the patients during all the phases of research, answer their questions and give a hand.
There exist different ways in which nurses can be involved in research. Depending on their role, they have different responsibilities, both in public and private research. The number of trials has increased, so more nurses are invited to share information about the research and to join the recruitment procedures or monitoring. Nurses are also involved in controlling compliance with the rights of the parties to research.
Types of Nurses in Clinical Research
As was already described, depending on the type of research, nurses are invited to play different roles. Actually, there are three types of nurses involved in research, and their responsibilities slightly differ. To become a nurse in clinical research, you have to apply for special certification, submit demanded nurse writing and obtain the right to participate.
The clinical nurse caregiver is the primary advocate of the patient in research. They can become the first contact between the patient and the enterprise. They give relevant information about the research planned. Clinical nurses aim to be sure that the patient understands the type of research, potential threats, and opportunities. Clinical nurse has to emphasize the rights of the patient in the framework of the trials and on the types of contraction between nurse and patient and nurse and enterprise. In cooperation with the research party, the clinical nurse can possibly carry out some procedures discussed or observe the symptoms, side effects, and overall state of the patient.
The clinical trial nurse works more on the side of the research party, having their main target to ensure the successful conduction of the research. At the same time, the clinical trial nurse contacts the patient regarding the questions concerning possible partaking in the clinical trial. They must ensure that the participants are aware of the trial and their participation is based on the protection of the welfare.
Nurse principal investigator is critically interested in a successful research process, so their role in participant caring is minimal. The principal nurse investigator is ready for the conflict between the interests of the patient and those of the researcher. They have the responsibility to support the process of the research and further implementation of the results, keeping in mind an ethical manner of the research realization.
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What is the Nurses’ Role in Clinical Research?