A majority of our work as NIHR Cambridge CRF research nurses involves carrying out study specific clinical procedures on and with healthy volunteers or patients who have consented to take part in a clinical research study or trial. Research nurses are integral to the unit since we provide care and support for those participating as well as providing the study specific treatments or interventions
We have a high number of studies with increasing complexity. We therefore work by a document called a ‘flowsheet’. The‘flowsheets’ are created by the CRF nursing staff. We summarisethe key study requirements with regards to design, health and safety and staff roles. Essentially, it comprises the crucial information that we on the CRF need to know and that we follow so that a study visit is carried out safely and according to the research protocol.
We have a variety of studies at the NIHR Cambridge CRF from a wide range of medical specialties such as cancer or metabolic science. Each day is different since each study varies from another and may require several procedures from administrating a study drug or conducting an electrocardiogram (ECG) which monitors your heartbeat. One day it could be a cancer study and another day could be for a child taking part in a diabetes study. On some days I might care for several patients and several studies and on other days I might have a study that requires a nurse to be with the patient for the entire time. As mentioned previously, the studies have research teams. Several research meetings are held with them to discuss and determine what their study entails or what we need to get ready for the study before it is done within the NIHR Cambridge CRF.