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Discussion

Too good to be true?

Recently, a friend reached out to me asking if I knew of any nurses interested in a PRN infusion nurse position. She is the site director for a clinical research group. I let her know I was possibly interested and we met for lunch to discuss it. It sounds like a fairly straightforward job. The medication is weight based and comes in powdered form, so I am responsible for calculating the dose and reconstituting it. I then start the IV, infuse the medication over 30 minutes while monitoring the patient, dc the IV, hold the patient for monitoring at my discretion, and let them go. Documentation is minimal, they really only require me to document the medication (or placebo), lot number, that kind of thing, but I am encouraged to document whatever I feel necessary. Protocol is to call 911 for any major reactions but I do have an emergency kit with epi, Benadryl, etc at my disposal and she told me they could obtain any other meds I want if needed, but that I wasn't expected to do anything aside from BLS in an emergency (which she says in her 6 years there has never been warranted.) She estimates I'll work no more than 20 hours a month. The thing that has me feeling wary is the pay. It's $75 an hour, which is completely insane for my area. Has anyone had any experience with a job in clinical research? Do they typically have such high pay?

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    PRN jobs typically pay more than routine jobs as benefits aren't included

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    • Author

    I am aware of that. The highest PRN pay I have found in my area is at an LTAC, and that was $45 an hour. My own hospital pays around $32 an hour for PRN positions. I live in the south, this kind of pay is unusual, even for PRN, which is why I asked.

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    It has to do with the funding for the study. If it's being funded by a drug company with deep pockets- they are likely to pay more. WHERE do you do the infusions would be my question.

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    Disclaimer: I have ZERO personal experience with this. But if a friend posed this to me I would require some minimal amount of assurance that this is a reputable organization intending to conduct a specific study that I could verify as meeting IRB and ethics requirements. I would also want to see some kind of job description or contract that outlines my specific duties and liabilities and all that other legal stuff.

    Honestly, I would take my very first cue from what I know about the friend who is posing this. That's just how I work. Is s/he trustworthy, not a flake, etc.

    Hope others come along to let you know what degree of caution is required.

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    I'd also want to be sure you're checking into things like IRB & FDA approval and subject consent.

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    I agree, look into the company doing the research. $75 an hour seems like a lot.

    Would also query how isolated it seems. Sounds like you there by yourself, choosing when to discharge pt, access to any meds you want ect. Is that within your scope of practise? Would you feel like you could Make all the disicions regarding this pt? Could you handle an emergency on your own? Ringing 911 instead of having a dr on call seems a bit odd.

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    Research does pay like that for your skills.

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    • Experts

    As for the pay: I once worked for a new company in the area when flu clinic business was just starting up. They paid me a handsome hourly wage. I worked for them the next season; they decreased the hourly pay by $2 an hour, still better than I got with a regular job. I noticed after that that they were paying more on par with the other companies that were doing flu shot clinics. If this entity continues in the area, the wage may drop when they see that they can improve their bottom line with employees willing to accept less.

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    Will you be responsible for your own taxes? Like an independent contractor?

    How far would you be required to travel to 'treat' the subjects? Travel time adds up easily. Would you be reimbursed?

    Would you have a quota of subjects to see? And who'll be doing the scheduling?

    Proceed cautiously, but as someone else mentioned, research does pay. And sometimes, very handsomely!

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