Careers in Quality

JOB SUMMARY:

The Vanderbilt Memory & Alzheimer's Center is accepting applications for a Research Nurse Specialist III (RNS-III). This position manages all day-to-day aspects of the Vanderbilt Memory & Aging Project, a large, longitudinal NIH-funded clinical research study investigating risk factors for abnormal brain aging, including cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's Disease. Under the guidance and supervision of the Principal Investigator, the RNS III is responsible for assuring that the integrity and quality of the clinical research study is maintained and conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice Guidelines, federal and sponsor regulations and guidelines, and Vanderbilt Policies and Procedures. The RNS III will work as part of an interdisciplinary team of experts in neuropsychology, neurology, cardiology, geriatrics, radiology, and nursing. The majority of work for this position involves interfacing with participants, including scheduling visits and procedures, consenting participants and their loved ones, facilitating biospecimen collection (including completing blood draws), completing visit protocols (including clinical interviews), providing visit feedback to participants and their loved ones, and managing follow-up for any adverse events. Additional essential responsibilities include overseeing quality control procedures, troubleshooting deviations in standard operating procedures, and managing regulatory affairs, such as Institutional Review Board protocols and progress reports to funding agencies. There is an emphasis on managing excellent participant relationships to enhance retention over the longitudinal study. The position provides an excellent opportunity to further develop clinical research leadership skills, including oversight of several research staff and trainees participating in visit procedures.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Knowledge and understanding of policies, procedures, and regulations governing human subject's research and incorporation of them in the conduct of research and care of participants
• Proficiently prepares and processes new IRB research proposals, amendments, continuing review applications and adverse events according to institutional and departmental policies and procedures and federal regulations
• Digests complex clinical information to determine if documentation is accurate, complete, and to ensure procedures contain appropriate safeguards. Ability to multi-task, managing multiple assignments while maintaining documentation and study visits and procedures in a timely manner.
• Utilizes nursing skills to complete research protocols including patient recruitment, screening, scheduling and organizing of study visits, enrollment, assessments, interviews, laboratory and diagnostic studies, medication dispensing and other protocol specific investigational procedures.
• Participates in the determination of eligibility and recruits candidates for study participation. Troubleshoots trial recruitment strategies to ensure trials are completed in a timely manner through implementing effective screening and recruitment strategies and completing required documentation.
• Provides education and training to appropriate personnel and participants in research specific methodology and procedures
• Utilizes knowledge of disease processes to observe for and report adverse events in a timely and accurate manner to the principal investigator and all regulatory authorities (IRB, Sponsor, FDA, NIH, etc.) as required by protocol, policies and procedures and regulations
• Assists in budget and contract negotiation.
• Knowledge and understanding of the management and implementation of clinical trial operations
• Possesses a basic awareness of the Federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects, e.g., FDA, OHRP, GCP/ICH guidelines, and HIPAA regulations
• Possesses a basic awareness of the Vanderbilt policies and regulations governing the protection of human subjects
• Utilizes nursing skills and processes to identify participant and study problems and utilizes problem solving skills to identify solutions, following through to implement solutions, and assuring goals are met.
• Prepares and stores critical documents required to be maintained and provided to the sponsor prior to, during and after the conduct of a clinical trial
• Performs packaging and ships study medication and specimens (blood, urine, etc.) to the sponsor or laboratory in accordance with IATA and sponsor shipping guidelines
• Participates in periodic site visits from sponsor, regulatory authorities and others to review research, source documentation and research procedures
• Maintains open and positive communications with investigators, participants, co-workers, other departments and sponsors.
• Understands standard of care versus research and continually assesses need for additional protections for the protection of research participants and the accuracy and appropriateness of research data.
• Understanding and capability to perform the procedures required of each study protocol (obtains training needed to safely and accurately perform or assess required procedures)
• Proactively involved in quality improvement through ongoing assessment and through the identification of issues, and planning and evaluation of quality improvements.
• Serves as an advocate for human subjects by establishing and maintaining communication with Investigators, research staff, Sponsors, participants and representatives of professional organizations, participant advocates, and the public responsible for, or concerned about, protections for human participants of research
• Assesses and evaluates potential participants pertinent medical and historical information to ensure only appropriate subjects are enrolled in clinical trials
• Participates in the ongoing informed consent process, ensuring that human subjects, their families, and other health care providers clearly understand what is expected of and from them in the course of participating in a clinical trial
• Independently uses and documents the nursing process to plan, deliver and evaluate goal focused, individualized, safe, age-specific care as it relates to uncomplicated research participants and with assistance for complicated research participants
• Performs procedures for research as they are described in the protocol, deviating from the protocol only when a subject's safety is at risk and reports all deviations from the protocol to the Principal Investigator and/or senior personnel who will determine of a protocol amendment or other safety assessments are required
• Maintains accurate records to document recruitment efforts, telephone follow-up interviews and research data
• Conducts literature searches and assesses new information as appropriate regarding new studies and at the time of continuing review to keep up-to-date in the research field of study in order to determine if significant historical or new findings exist that may impact the risk/benefit ratio of the research participant
• Actively identifies and participates in training, education, and development activities to improve own knowledge and performance to sustain and enhance professional development. Pursues avenues to ensure awareness of the latest information available to nurses conducting clinical research, for example
• Reviews the Research Support Services website to obtain information regarding available and required in-services, required certifications and to obtain important updates
• Attends the Clinical Research Staff Council monthly meetings
• Attends in-services advertised by the Institutional Review Board, Research Support Services, professional societies, etc.
• Demonstrates initiative in self-directed learning, as evidenced by attendance of professional development opportunities. Actively seeks new learning opportunities. Sees learning as part of work
• Assumes responsibility for continuous learning, engaging in a minimum of 10 hours of educational activities annually or pursuing an advanced academic education or certifications
• Develops and achieves personal and professional goals
• Participates in and maintains professional certifications, licensure and credentialing as required of nurses employed at Vanderbilt (i.e., CPR certification)
• Further knowledge base by completing series Basic of Conducting Clinical Research 102 or equivalent within the first year.