Research nurses inspire at the CMFT’s annual Nursing and Midwifery conference.
A team of senior research nurses (Vicki Conroy, Elaine Coughlan, Sujamole Subin and Jean Winterbottom), presented their career stories at the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) Nursing and Midwifery conference. The team gave an engaging presentation about what led them to work in the field of research, and their different leadership roles with the aim of inspiring nurses and midwives of the future to consider future careers as clinical research nurses.
The role of the clinical research nurse (CRN) is integral to the delivery of research and involves being part of a patient’s research journey providing care, information and support. The presentation saw the 4 nurses explain how diverse careers in clinical research nursing can be, describing opportunities available to develop clinical, managerial and principal investigator roles
The nurses discussed how their work, underpinned by sound clinical and research knowledge and competencies, can impact care for future generations, by influencing the development of new treatments and improving nursing care for the wider population.
The presentation touched on how the role of CRNs has changed over the years and how historically, CRNs worked in isolation without governance, minimal research training and no career development. However, under the leadership of Gail Woodburn, Lead Nurse for Research and Innovation CMFT has supported the career development of CRNs within its eight hospitals. A professional management and leadership framework has been implemented which provides opportunity, development, support and networking opportunities; locally and nationally, to enable clinical research nursing to be recognised as an emerging domain of practice.
Vicki Conroy, Senior Oncology Clinical Research Nurse explained the positive feedback the research nurses have had since the conference:
Since the presentation we have been approached by nurses stating they had heard our stories. One nurse told Elaine that it made them realise a career in nursing isn’t just about going from A to B, but can be whatever you make it to be.
