References

Ashton H. 67 Advanced nurse practitioners in clinical research: an innovative role at Great Ormond Street Hospital. (Digital poster presentations.). Archives of Disease in Childhood. 2020; 105 https://doi.org/10.1136/archdischild-2020-gosh.67

Braun-Inglis C, Boehmer LM, Zitella LJ Role of oncology advanced practitioners to enhance clinical research. J Adv Pract Oncol. 2022; 13:(2)107-119 https://doi.org/10.6004/jadpro.2022.13.2.2

Calvin-Naylor NA, Jones CT, Wartak MM Education and training of clinical and translational study investigators and research coordinators: A competency-based approach. J Clin Transl Sci. 2017; 1:(1)16-25 https://doi.org/10.1017/cts.2016.2

Evans C, Pearce R, Greaves S, Blake H. Advanced clinical practitioners in primary care in the UK: A qualitative study of workforce transformation. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020a; 17:(12) https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17124500

Evans C, Poku B, Pearce R, Eldridge J Characterising the evidence base for advanced clinical practice in the UK: a scoping review protocol. BMJ Open. 2020b; 10:(5) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-036192

European Medicines Agency. Guideline for good clinical practice E6(R2). 2016. https://tinyurl.com/3ebxtft8 (accessed 23 February 2023)

Faulkner-Gurstein R, Jones HC, McKevitt C. ‘Like a nurse but not a nurse’: clinical Research Practitioners and the evolution of the clinical research delivery workforce in the NHS. Health Res Policy Syst. 2019; 17:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s12961-019-0462-x

Fielding C, Riley J, Sutherland C, Swift K, Gordon A. Research as part of the advanced clinical practitioner role. Br J Nurs. 2022; 31:(7)372-374 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2022.31.7.372

Gerber JA, Borden AN, Broda J Evaluating clinical outcomes of an advanced practice provider-led newborn circumcision clinic. Urology. 2019; 127:97-101 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.urology.2019.01.038

Goldsberry JW. Advanced practice nurses leading the way: interprofessional collaboration. Nurse Educ Today. 2018; 65:1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2018.02.024

Graham-Clarke E, Rushton A, Noblet T, Marriott J. Facilitators and barriers to non-medical prescribing – A systematic review and thematic synthesis. PLoS One. 2018; 13:(4) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0196471

Health and Care Professions Council. Advanced practice: research report. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/2ehetsbd (accessed 23 February 2023)

Hastings CE, Fisher CA, McCabe MA Clinical research nursing: A critical resource in the national research enterprise. Nurs Outlook. 2012; 60:(3)149-156.e3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2011.10.003

Health Education England. Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England. 2017. https://tinyurl.com/4s22c58f (accessed 23 February 2023)

Herena P, Paguio G, Pulone B. Clinical research nurse education: using scope and standards of practice to improve care. Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2018; 22:(4)450-452 https://doi.org/10.1188/18.CJON.450-452

Hooks C, Walker S. An exploration of the role of advanced clinical practitioners in the East of England. Br J Nurs. 2020; 29:(15)864-869 https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2020.29.15.864

King R, Tod A, Sanders T. Development and regulation of advanced nurse practitioners in the UK and internationally. Nurs Stand. 2017; 32:(14)43-50 https://doi.org/10.7748/ns.2017.e10858

Lavery J, Whitaker T. Training advanced practitioners to perform lumbar puncture. Nursing Times. 2018; 114:(11)33-35

Leary A, MacLaine K. The evolution of advanced nursing practice: past, present and future. Nursing Times. online; 115:(10)18-19

Lockwood EB, Lehwaldt D, Sweeney MR, Matthews A. An exploration of the levels of clinical autonomy of advanced nurse practitioners: A narrative literature review. Int J Nurs Pract. 2022; 28:(1) https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12978

Mackey A, Bassendowski S. The history of evidence-based practice in nursing education and practice. J Prof Nurs. 2017; 33:(1)51-55 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2016.05.009

Maier CB, Aiken LH. Task shifting from physicians to nurses in primary care in 39 countries: a cross-country comparative study. Eur J Public Health. 2016a; 26:(6)927-934 https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckw098

Maier CB, Aiken LH. Expanding clinical roles for nurses to realign the global health workforce with population needs: a commentary. Isr J Health Policy Res. 2016b; 5:(1) https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-016-0079-2

Maier CB, Barnes H, Aiken LH, Busse R. Descriptive, cross-country analysis of the nurse practitioner workforce in six countries: size, growth, physician substitution potential. BMJ Open. 2016; 6:(9) https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011901

Matthews J, Whitehead P, Ward C, Kyner M, Crowder T. Florence Nightingale: visionary for the role of clinical nurse specialist. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing. 2020; 25:(2) https://doi.org/10.3912/OJIN.Vol25No02Man01

Maybury C. The European Working Time Directive: a decade on. Lancet. 2014; 384:(9954)1562-1563 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61972-3

McDonnell A, Goodwin E, Kennedy F, Hawley K, Gerrish K, Smith C. An evaluation of the implementation of Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) roles in an acute hospital setting. J Adv Nurs. 2015; 71:(4)789-799 https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12558

McEnroe N. Celebrating Florence Nightingale's bicentenary. Lancet. 2020; 395:(10235)1475-1478 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30992-2

Mukherjee S, Meacock J, Kissane E, Pal D. Factors relating to working hours restriction that have impacted the professional identity of trainees in the last decade. Br J Hosp Med. 2021; 82:(3)1-10 https://doi.org/10.12968/hmed.2020.0355

National Institute for Health and Care Research. Competency Framework for Clinical Research Nurses. A tool to promote patient safety and quality data. 2011. https://tinyurl.com/yndy2xf5 (accessed 7 March 2023)

National Institute for Health and Care Research. The role of the clinical research nurse. 2019. https://tinyurl.com/335w3e44 (accessed 23 February 2023)

Enduring ambiguity: the ANP role. Nursing in Practice. 2020. https://tinyurl.com/3czammy5 (accessed 23 February 2023)

Peate I. Advancing advanced practice. Br J Nurs. 2019; 28:(6) https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2019.28.6.327

Royal College of Nursing. RCN standards for advanced level nursing practice. 2018a. https://tinyurl.com/unrx7xbd (accessed 23 February 2023)

Royal College of Nursing. Advanced level nursing practice section 2: advanced level nursing practice competencies. 2018b. https://tinyurl.com/5n7np6td (accessed 23 February 2023)

Royal College of Nursing. Advanced level nursing practice section 3: RCN accreditation and credentialing. 2018c. https://tinyurl.com/2s48p4my (accessed 23 February 2023)

Scanlon A, Murphy M, Smolowitz J, Lewis V. Low- and lower middle-income countries advanced practice nurses: an integrative review. Int Nurs Rev. 2020; 67:(1)19-34 https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12536

Schober M. Development of advanced practice nursing (APN): the international context. Enfermería Clínica. 2019; 29:(2)63-66 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enfcle.2018.08.006

Serena A, Dwyer AA, Peters S, Eicher M. Acceptance of the advanced practice nurse in lung cancer role by healthcare professionals and patients: a qualitative exploration. J Nurs Scholarsh. 2018; 50:(5)540-548 https://doi.org/10.1111/jnu.12411

Spence D. Bad medicine: advanced practitioners versus doctors. Br J Gen Pract. 2019; 69:(681) https://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp19X702041

A unique, challenging and rewarding role – a blog by Suja Subin, Advanced Clinical Practitioner. 2021. https://tinyurl.com/u6yzsttm (accessed 23 February 2023)

Thompson W, McNamara M. Constructing the advanced nurse practitioner identity in the healthcare system: a discourse analysis. J Adv Nurs. 2022; 78:(3)834-846 https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.15068

Weeks G, George J, Maclure K, Stewart D. Non-medical prescribing versus medical prescribing for acute and chronic disease management in primary and secondary care. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016; 11:(11) https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD011227.pub2

Welch MA, Ryan JC, Galinsky IA. Role of the advanced practice provider in clinical trials: contributions to the management of patients receiving inotuzumab ozogamicin. J Adv Pract Oncol. 2017; 8:(6)631-636

World Health Organization. Nursing and midwifery in the history of the World Health Organization 1948-2017. 2017. https://tinyurl.com/5xsetmm9 (accessed 23 February 2023)

Advanced Practice

Clinical Skills

The role of advanced clinical practitioners in clinical research

23 March 2023

Advanced Clinical Practice

02 March 2023

Volume 32 · Issue 6

ISSN (print): 0966-0461

ISSN (online): 2052-2819

Abstract

Advanced clinical practitioners (ACPs) contribute immensely to patient care, so there is consequently a need to develop and create a sustainable environment for advanced clinical practice in clinical research. To achieve this it is necessary to evaluate the current challenges to enable stakeholders and policymakers to take the appropriate measures in safeguarding the future of advanced clinical practice in clinical research. The ACP workforce presents an opportunity to enhance access to clinical research. This article looks at the role of ACPs in clinical research and significant developmental milestones. The challenges of ACPs in clinical research are discussed, with an analysis of the needed interventions within the UK context. Strategies aimed at increasing the utilisation of the larger ACP workforce in clinical research are proposed.

The nursing profession has been around since the first humans and has gone through various transitions, shaping how it is practised and perceived. Consequently, nursing practice has undergone fascinating changes, influenced by events such as wars and major disease outbreaks, as well as shortages of other healthcare workers, all of which have facilitated advances in practice (Mackey and Bassendowski, 2017; World Health Organization (WHO), 2017). Through these changes, the profession has seen the extension of the scope of practice and the birth of new specialties. These developments provide a well of inspiration, from which lessons can be drawn in shaping the future of the nursing profession and patient care.

This article explores the role of the advanced clinical practitioner (ACP) in clinical research and highlights the significant developmental milestones and challenges ACPs face in clinical research. Interventions that could be implemented within the UK context to enhance the utilisation of the broader ACP workforce in clinical research are proposed.

Register now to continue reading

Thank you for visiting British Journal of Nursing and reading some of our peer-reviewed resources for nurses. To read more, please register today. You’ll enjoy the following great benefits:

What's included

Limited access to clinical or professional articles
Unlimited access to the latest news, blogs and video content

Or continue by

Signing in with your registered email address

Advanced practice

Advanced clinical practitioner

Clinical research

Regulation

Research nurse