“The art and science of the Clinical Research Nurse (CRN) role is found within the weaving of care throughout the research process, and the value added to patient care that this produces. CRNs play a vital role in improving patient care and contributing to enhanced treatment pathways through delivering and leading clinical research activities but research nursing is not simply about task-based actions. Rather, it amplifies the nursing values consistent within patient care provided by nurses across all settings. Recognition of this connection to the nursing process and the inherent skill of the CRN role can be difficult to capture. In addition, the role is often misunderstood within wider clinical practice, and the scope, value, and skills of the CRN are often under-utilized, possibly further exacerbated by a lack of formal research into the topic.”

“The intrinsic value brought by nurses to patient care can often be hard to define based on its holistic and inclusive nature, meaning value can be found in “everything,” as well as specific and individual outcomes. Demonstrating value and capturing the scope of the CRN sets greater challenges as the reach and impact is even farther reaching based on the duality of the role and the delivery of practice grounded in years of clinical experience. By describing the provision of care, safely delivered by the CRN within the context of a conceptual model, this paper has sought to make the value and scope more explicit. The 4-point conceptual model captures the value and core concepts of the CRN within the four domains of Care and Trust, Role, Impact, and Integration. This simple model contains
complex concepts which in and of itself reflects the practice of the CRN. Our use of the threaded case study further demonstrates the importance of the CRN role in the context of “care,” within healthcare and research practice settings, providing a reflection on each aspect of the model in turn.”

Hansen, B. R., et al (2022). Capturing the value and core concepts of the Clinical Research Nurse. Journal of research in nursing : JRN, 27(1-2), 32–47.