Research nurse vs clinical coordinator

The differences between research nurses and clinical coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a research nurse and a clinical coordinator. Additionally, a clinical coordinator has an average salary of $57,665, which is higher than the $53,463 average annual salary of a research nurse.

The top three skills for a research nurse include patients, informed consent and data collection. The most important skills for a clinical coordinator are patients, customer service, and CPR.

Research nurse vs clinical coordinator overview

	Research Nurse	Clinical Coordinator
Yearly salary	$53,463	$57,665
Hourly rate	$25.70	$27.72
Growth rate	6%	6%
Number of jobs	46,665	74,962
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a research nurse do?

A research nurse specializes in conducting studies and scientific research for healthcare and medical development. They may work for medical facilities, private clinics, learning institutions, and government agencies. It is their duty to design research strategies and procedures, gather and analyze samples through various scientific methods, coordinate with other experts, and develop treatment and healthcare plans to optimize patient services and outcomes. Moreover, a research nurse typically works with a team of researchers, which requires an active communication line while adhering to the organization's policies and regulations.

What does a clinical coordinator do?

A clinical coordinator is responsible for monitoring a healthcare facility's daily operations, ensuring the best quality services for the patients. Clinical coordinators perform administrative and clerical tasks as needed, such as organizing patient files, communicating with other departments and healthcare organizations for validating patients' information and insurance documents, prepare medical reports, assist medical professionals in medical procedures, and observe sanitary and hygienic standards. A clinical coordinator must have excellent time-management skills to perform duties under minimal supervision.

Research nurse vs clinical coordinator salary

Research nurses and clinical coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Nurse	Clinical Coordinator
Average salary	$53,463	$57,665
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $74,000	Between $43,000 And $77,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	Dover, DE
Highest paying state	New York	Delaware
Best paying company	Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings	Children's Hospital Colorado
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Health Care

Differences between research nurse and clinical coordinator education

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

	Research Nurse	Clinical Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 56%	Bachelor's Degree, 46%
Most common major	Nursing	Nursing
Most common college	Duke University	University of Pennsylvania

Research nurse vs clinical coordinator demographics

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

	Research Nurse	Clinical Coordinator
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 9.2% Female, 90.8%	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 8.3% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between research nurse and clinical coordinator duties and responsibilities

Research nurse example responsibilities.

Collect, manage and analyze preliminary data using SPSS statistical software.
Adhere to local and country specific GCP and ICH guidelines.
Ensure coordinator and investigator compliance with GCP and ICH guidelines.
Assure compliance with good clinical practice (GCP) guidelines and FDA regulations.
Ensure appropriate source documentation, drug accountability and study compliance according to GCP and CFR.
Oversee study protocol implementation to ensure compliance with FDA and other regulatory bodies' rules and regulations.

Clinical coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage chronic illnesses such as hypertension, coronary disease and diabetes.
Create and manage case report forms and transmit data through EDC to sponsor.
Manage patient telemetries systems to include EKG's, vitals, INR management and sleep monitoring systems.
Manage the CRA team and serve as main point of contact for study logistics and relate questions including subject eligibility questions.
Manage common side effects of chemotherapy and experimental therapies.
Manage the clinical reimbursement coordinators traveling schedule to ensure that facilities have adequate MDS coverage.

Research nurse vs clinical coordinator skills

Common research nurse skills

Patients, 18%
Informed Consent, 11%
Data Collection, 5%
IRB, 5%
Oncology, 4%
Research Projects, 4%

Common clinical coordinator skills

Patients, 29%
Customer Service, 6%
CPR, 5%
Rehabilitation, 3%
Vital Signs, 3%
Social Work, 3%

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Research Nurse
Research Nurse vs Clinical Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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