The Department of Surgery in the Cumming School of Medicine invites applications for a Clinical Research Nurse. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 1 year (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The Clinical Research Nurse will report to and be accountable to the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Scientific Director, in the Department of Surgery, Cumming School of Medicine. This position will receive direction from the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Scientific Director and Principal Investigators of each project. The Clinical Research Nurse will be a member of the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Team that is comprised of Trauma Division surgeons and researchers at the Foothills Medical Centre.

The Clinical Research Nurse role requires a high degree of professionalism, integrity, and dealing effectively with a variety of patient populations while conducting and overseeing various technical procedures. The Clinical Research Nurse will be supporting multiple research projects at any given time, including the planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of all activities surrounding the research projects, including industry sponsored pharmaceutical studies and Investigator initiated studies, with minimal supervision by the Research Manager, Clinical Manager and Principal Investigator. This position will require involvement in multiple research tasks with various internal and external collaborators. The incumbent is expected to complete skilled technical work of moderate complexity (e.g., blood draws, blood analysis in laboratory), perform standard trouble-shooting, and work independently, while providing guidance and support to junior staff. This position will require strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills. The Clinical Research Nurse will have a key leadership role for the development, completion, and knowledge translation of new and existing projects.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Patient Care

• Providing professional and knowledgeable support to research patients
• Educate patients on all aspects of their participation in the research study
• Recruitment of patients into clinical research studies, booking appointments, collecting patient data, taking clinical patient histories, reviewing medical histories, and patient education
• Prepare reports for review with the PI for outcomes, adverse events, and serious adverse events
• Blood draws and blood sample analysis
• Scheduling appointments for current research patients within study protocol guidelines
• Confidentiality of subject information and medical records
• Adherence to policy and procedure standards
• Manage strict deadlines as required for the preparation of patient visits, data collection, and event reporting
• Ensure patient-centered approaches while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements

Collaboration:

• Professional interactions and ability to liaise with other healthcare providers (e.g., surgeons, case managers, administrators) for patient recruitment, scheduling, and follow-ups
• Manages own time effectively and ensures immediate reports to manager is kept informed of activities and progress of work
• Provides support and direction to members within the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Team, including acting as a resource and ensuring work requirements are consistently met on a daily basis
• Provide guidance and support to junior staff
• Lead coordinator for national multi-site studies with Foothills Medical Centre as the lead site
• Coordinate and schedule regular meetings with participating sites to track study progress
• Prepare monthly research updates

Research Support

• Reliable and safe operation of all laboratory equipment for the analysis of various biological samples (e.g., blood, urine)
• Support multiple research projects at any given time, including planning, organizing, directing, and controlling of all activities surrounding the research projects
• Conduct industry sponsored pharmaceutical studies and studies initiated by the PI
• Compile data for submission to lead sites and maintenance of study databases
• Prepare applications to CHREB, including developing protocols, case report forms, and informed patient consent forms
• Assist with research grant applications and annual reporting to granting agencies
• Maintain Health Canada regulated trials in good standing
• Prepare for meetings and conferences to assist the Orthopaedic Trauma Research Team
• May be called upon by the Principal Investigator to act as their representative in the presentation of the research material to internal or external agencies, related publications, or journals
• Timely and complete data entry using the REDCap platform
• Maintaining filing system and archiving as required and in compliance with current standard operating procedures

Leadership:

• Mentor students and staff in patient recruitment, retention of enrolled patients, and problem-solving for improved research processes
• Provide in-scope supervision to junior staff, students, and trainees
• Function as the lead site Trial Manager, overseeing day-to-day trial operations and provide training, guidance, and ongoing support to subsite study coordinators to ensure consistency and compliance across all participating sites

Qualifications / Requirements:

• Registered Nurse (RN) certification required, Masters Degree in Nursing is an asset
• Phlebotomy/venipuncture skills/certification required, or willingness to obtain certification
• Minimum of 5 years of related experience in a medical/clinical setting required
• Knowledge of musculoskeletal and/or medical terminology is required
• Must have willingness and experience to work with various biological samples (eg. blood, tissues, urine, etc)
• Experience with electronic medical records; (ie Connect Care and Netcare) in clinical positions is required
• Current CRNA member is an asset
• Knowledge of theory and practical application of research policies and procedures is required
• Laboratory biosafety training and certifications for the conduct of clinical research involving human subjects are required
• Ability to multi-task and contribute to multiple new and current clinical studies
• A positive attitude and the ability to work independently and as part of a team are critical to success
• Demonstrated ability to function independently and within a team environment
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills required
• Effective communication and problem-solving skills required
• Must be open to learning and development, and be willing to accept new challenges and assignments
• Strong understanding of research protocols and ability to adhere to policy
• High level of resourcefulness and concentration
• Must be able to work independently with directives and minimal supervision
• Ability to provide direction and guidance to junior staff