Clinical nurses' understanding of the role of the clinical research nurse in the renal unit

The role of clinical research nurse (CRN) is pivotal to the success of research, and modern-day conduct of research and clinical trials requires dedicated staff. Those in the role not only have clinical nursing responsibilities, but are also required to have knowledge and understanding of research protocols and governance in conducting and managing all aspects of clinical research and trials.

The popularity of the CRN role as a career option has grown significantly over the past decade. However, there is limited information concerning the perception of the CRN role, the responsibilities of postholders and their contribution to the NHS. Consequently, the role remains widely misunderstood by many healthcare colleagues. The familiarity and overlapping nature of nursing duties and responsibilities contributes to this misunderstanding, making it easy to overlook the significant differences between one nursing role and another.

The clinical nurse, who is a registered nurse in clinical practice, and the CRN are equally important nursing specialties, and an understanding of both roles is essential to ensure that their work is complementary. Over the years, many healthcare institutions have taken on more clinical research studies and trials, requiring collaboration between registered nurses in clinical practice and CRNs. This partnership is crucial to patient recruitment, engagement and retention in clinical trials (ie to promoting a positive patient experience) and to the research delivery and output as a whole.