Oncology nurses - research / clinical trials

Our oncology practice paticipates in study protocols. Since the nurses administer the treatments we have to review the nursing section in the protocol and it must be followed precisely, ie: the order of the meds, vital signs. In some cases the study provides the drug so we have a study drug log we sign it out in, sometimes we have to save the empty vial and it gets sent back tko the study. If something is not followed the way the study intructs it, it is a deviation. We have study monitors come to our offices to do audits, they check our refrigerator, our logs, things like that. We have a research dept that is dedicated to all our study patients, it's a big help because they are on top of what needs to be done and when, ( blood work and follow up appt.)

I work as a study coordinator for solid tumor trials. As a coordinator we do not actually give the drug, take VS, blood, etc but we are responsible for managing the patients on the trial. Our job involves following the trial from initial budget negotiations through close out. It is heavy on the paperwork side but very rewarding when you see patients actually benefiting from experimental regimens.