Experience as a Research Nurse Coordinator

Specialties Research

Published

So I took a position at a big academic institution as a research nurse coordinator.....

My experience here has been nothing short of terrifying!! I started working in this clinical research environment in the summer and a few weeks in I have realized that my manager is more interested in getting me access/singed up for all the studies (about 30 + of them and more in the works) instead of training me appropriately for the role. Getting me access means she has become hands off and has given me all the nursing responsibilities with no actual oversight into my work. She has also listed me as the "main contact person" on several protocols without me being familiar or comfortable with them yet. Any Attempt that I've made at finding a better system or making the work more manageable has been met with resistance. Essentially, she takes that as "being negative or a complainer". I have also caught on to several mistakes and her initial response to them is usually blaming someone else or denying that she ever made that mistake(since then I've been sure to document everything on my end of things and don't individually make a decision on my own). Also a few weeks into my hire she just took off on a vacation. Initially I thought it was a one time event until I found out she basically takes off/stays home 1-2 per week with the excuse of "working from home" while or her employees are not allowed to work half days. In summary I feel thrown into it with no real guidance, oversight or training or help. What do you guys in this community think? Maybe it might be time for me to go back to bedside.......

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Is this your first job in such a position? Or do you have experience as a research coordinator in similar jobs?

It sounds like your boss thought you were very experienced and ready to be independent in your practice. Advanced roles rarely get a lot of orientation -- and certainly not the type of orientation that bedside staff nurses get. What is your experience level and what were the expectations as discussed in your interview?

Hello llg,

Yes this is my first job as a research coordinator however I worked as a research assistant in different specialties prior to nursing school and as a bedside nurse as well. During my interview she knew I had some research assistant experience but none as a research coordinator or nurse in this specific specialty. I ensured that I asked questions during my interview regarding the duration of the orientation/training. She assured me that it was going to be an "informal training" however she was always available and a lot of resources will also be available for me to be appropriately trained for my role.She even had my resume and asked me question regarding my experience which I didn't lie about. A few months into it I'm beginning to think the interview was all a show...

p.s its not an advanced role

Hi there,

I really feel for you. I'm in a similar situation but after networking it seems that the lack of orientation is not at all uncommon. Several CRNCs that I've met have a similar story of being thrust into the role without any methodical or even evidence based training. In my case, I had no idea that I was going to actually coordinate studies. According to the job description I was merely a nurse that would act as a support person to protocols and had no actual responsibility to recruit, manage, or otherwise coordinate a study.

Are there any support classes that you can attend? Any other coordinators to guide you in the process?

PC

Thanks for your response pcaldea. I am glad to know that someone understands my predicament. Are you still in this role? Did it get better for you? The interesting thing about my department is that it consists of a few of us and without my boss there is really no other "knowledgeable" research person who manages these trials/protocols. Except for the PIs who are busy all day. There are other coordinators I've run into from other departments but my boss seems very resistant when I go to them for help or even the simplest things. I just feel so lost all the time and she always has the "what are you talking about" look when I try to speak out that I do not feel adequately trained or competent enough for my role.

Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Gosh. This sounds exactly like my first (non nursing) research coordinator position - that wasn't even supposed to be dealing with the clinical trial stuff but when the research nurse left I got thrown into the regulatory side of it

Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

One thing you could do is reach out to the trial sponsors or CRAs and see if they can help get you up to speed and set up a system.

Hey OnOn2RN,

Are you still at this position? What do you do now? I feel like at this point I cannot keep up with the ever growing demand and the lack of systems in place here, and might just go back to bedside. My Boss has totally become hands off and just vanishes to God knows where constantly throughout the day. I do not feel supported at all and the few times where she answers my questions 8/10 times the answer is wrong! Even when I tell her to review things with me such as screening/enrolling patients she gets irritated and annoyed (mind u I've been here less than 6 months). the CRA's have been quite helpful at providing checklists and resources for me to use but my work load just seems never-ending. We tried to voice out that we felt overworked and needed extra hands in here considering all the trials and soon to be opening ones, and my boss ended up firing my colleague for "voicing out her opinion".

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