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Clinical research nurse vs registered nurse

The differences between clinical research nurses and registered nurses can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical research nurse and a registered nurse. Additionally, a registered nurse has an average salary of $73,349, which is higher than the $60,347 average annual salary of a clinical research nurse.

The top three skills for a clinical research nurse include patients, BLS and acute care. The most important skills for a registered nurse are patients, BLS, and CPR.

Clinical research nurse vs registered nurse overview

Clinical Research NurseRegistered Nurse
Yearly salary$60,347$73,349
Hourly rate$29.01$35.26
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs703,983646,159
Job satisfaction-2.75
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Associate Degree, 46%
Average age4444
Years of experience22

What does a clinical research nurse do?

A clinical research nurse is responsible for conducting research studies on various health conditions, illness treatments, and healthcare methodologies, analyzing existing scientific research to make new reports. Clinical research nurses also communicate with other health professionals and health organizations for their insights and recommendations for a specific medical study, ensuring to report their findings to doctors and medical researchers for further validation and clinical trials. A clinical research nurse must have excellent knowledge of communication, both written and spoken, as well as expertise in the medical industry.

What does a registered nurse do?

The primary responsibilities of a registered nurse involve caring for a variety of patients, from ill and injured to those who are healthy and wanting to stay that way. Nurses have different specialization and work with particular patients, such as newborn babies or those who are suffering from particular medical conditions. They work on different settings which includes hospital, outpatient facility, rehabilitation center, nursing home, dialysis center, home healthcare agency, and other offices. They can administer medications, wound care, and other aids or treatment plan. They also conduct medical tests, interpret the results, and monitor patients' recovery and progress.

Clinical research nurse vs registered nurse salary

Clinical research nurses and registered nurses have different pay scales, as shown below.

Clinical Research NurseRegistered Nurse
Average salary$60,347$73,349
Salary rangeBetween $44,000 And $82,000Between $45,000 And $117,000
Highest paying CitySacramento, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateCaliforniaCalifornia
Best paying companyUniversity of California, BerkeleyNORCAL Ambulance
Best paying industryEducationHealth Care

Differences between clinical research nurse and registered nurse education

There are a few differences between a clinical research nurse and a registered nurse in terms of educational background:

Clinical Research NurseRegistered Nurse
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 55%Associate Degree, 46%
Most common majorNursingNursing
Most common collegeDuke UniversityDuke University

Clinical research nurse vs registered nurse demographics

Here are the differences between clinical research nurses' and registered nurses' demographics:

Clinical Research NurseRegistered Nurse
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 10.9% Female, 89.1%Male, 12.3% Female, 87.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.7% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 9.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.0% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage9%9%

Differences between clinical research nurse and registered nurse duties and responsibilities

Clinical research nurse example responsibilities.

  • Maintain accountability and compassion while providing care, administering medications, performing procedures and managing emergencies.
  • Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures and managing emergencies
  • Command of CPR team until a doctor arrives; defibrillate and assess patients' condition.
  • Administer pain medication through intravenous, oral or subcutaneous injection to recovering patients in the immediate post-operative period of surgery.
  • Provide complete nursing care for patient populations undergoing procedures relate to abdominal surgery, multiple trauma, oncology, and peritoneal dialysis
  • Provide skil nursing care for patients spanning the pediatric medical spectrum including hematology, immunology, oncology, neurology and endocrinology.
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Registered nurse example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient care for individuals with multiple diagnoses including COPD, diabetes, stroke and cardiac issues.
  • Organize and manage regular clinics involving external physicians, including ophthalmology, ENT, Med/Surg, orthopedics, and podiatry professionals.
  • Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
  • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
  • Provide care for cardiac patients in arrhythmia critical care unit, providing patient education and monitoring telemetry
  • Re-Cover surgical patients immediately after heart and vascular surgery until transfer out of ICU.
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Clinical research nurse vs registered nurse skills

Common clinical research nurse skills
  • Patients, 28%
  • BLS, 10%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 3%
  • Surgery, 3%
  • Quality Care, 3%
Common registered nurse skills
  • Patients, 24%
  • BLS, 10%
  • CPR, 6%
  • Acute Care, 5%
  • Acls, 5%
  • Home Health, 4%

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