New nurse graduate working as a clinical research nurse?

[roxybabe84]

Hello,

I and the nursing students in my class have been urged by our professors to start looking at jobs and applying for jobs before we graduate in spring 2013. I enjoy the academic environment and have been interested in nursing research. I feel like my dream job would be to work at the NIH Clinical Center and working alongside doctors and researchers on new interventions, clinical trials, etc. There is a posting for a clinical research nurse in the peds clinic, and I am wondering how likely is it for a new nurse to land a position at NIH hospital? The positions there seem so few; it must be competitive? Does anybody know what it's like to work there, and what is the application process is like? Does anybody have any personal experience working as a nurse at NIH? Do you like the environment there? Is it truly as exciting as it seems?

[All4NursingRN]

I have no idea. i just started research but not as a new grad or at the NIH, but I wish you great luck. maybe google for more info on that if you dont get enough responses here.

[roxybabe84]

I think it would be interesting to work on clinical trials, perhaps as the RN who provides the bedside care or med. administration for new therapies and studies. I suppose to conduct and write my own nursing research I would need much more experience. During my last semester we heard from an RN/nurse manager at Washington Hospital Center who was conducting research at the hospital regarding family presence should be allowed during cardiac resuscitation. It sounded like she had collected experience at this hospital and interest in this topic for a while before beginning her inquiry.

[BuncoQueenRN]

I've been a RN for over 10 years that includes experience in Cardiac Care & ICU. I recently started working in phase 1 clinical research. I highly recommend at least 1 year of bedside hands-on nursing experience. My job requires experience with administering medication (oral, IV, SQ, etc.), assessing AE's (adverse events - a.k.a., side effects), performing informed consent, reviewing medical history, assessing VS, performing ECGs, and so much more. I use my knowledge base and years of experience multiple times per day. Research is VERY structured with many standards of practice (SOPs) to follow. There is very little room for error because the FDA & IRB have very strict standards. I enjoy my work in research and hope you do, too - if this is the route you choose! :)

[nursetracy1980]

I too recommend at least 1 year of experience prior to getting into research. I work in hem/onc and there are a lot of phase 1 & 2 clinical trials that not only require a lot of skill, but critical thinking as well. Clinical research is awesome, but get the basics down first.