The term “medical research” may conjure an image of a trained doctor in a white coat intently peering into a microscope at carefully prepared slides, or growing something in a test tube that might have the potential to fight cancer. Studies being conducted in medical labs can lead to breakthroughs and advances in medicine, disease management, and biotechnology. Nurse researchers seldom get the same kind of limelight, even though their research is responsible for improving many aspects of the comprehensive care provided to patients in hospitals and other healthcare settings.
Registered nurses work closely with individual patients and their families during a medical procedure or crisis, and often continue to offer support and help over the long-term. They also work closely with the entire medical team, including physicians, social workers, psychologists and administrators. This gives nurse researchers a valuable perspective on healthcare services and treatment, and puts them in an excellent position to create research projects that can positively impact patient outcomes and quality of life. Delivering effective healthcare services to a diverse population is extremely challenging. Nurse researchers are on the frontlines, identifying problems, doing the work necessary to find solutions—and implementing these solutions in a systematic, effective manner.
If you are already a nurse or are thinking of becoming one and have the scientific background, analytical abilities, and strong communication and organizational skills, heading in the direction of nursing research might be the perfect career path.
- What it takes to be a nurse researcher. All nurses are problem solvers. Nurse researchers use their clinical experience, scientific knowledge and research skills to identify specific problems, develop studies or projects to collect data, and then share their findings either by publishing, teaching, or establishing protocols and guidelines based on their research. Successful nurse researchers must also solve the problem of finding funding for their projects.
- Get a nursing degree. Nurse researchers start by getting the education and training to be a registered nurse. A bachelor degree in nursing takes four years to complete and will expose you to academic coursework in the sciences, nursing, and social sciences. You will also get clinical experience which will start to give you an idea of which field or patient population you want to work with. Make sure the nursing program you choose is accredited.
- Pass the licensure exam. When you finish a nursing program, you can then take the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses). The test is given by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Passing the licensure exam will give you the credential for a Registered Nurse (RN) that makes you eligible to work in most states.
- Get a post-graduate MSN degree or PhD. A Master of Science of Nursing (MSN) degree will give you the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct research projects. This is usually a 2-year program which will give a more in-depth foundation in anatomy, biology, microbiology, chemistry, pharmacology, nursing science, critical thinking, healthcare services, and research skills, as well as clinical training. Some nurse researchers pursue a more advanced doctorate degree, such as a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), with an emphasis on evidence-based research, or a PhD, with an emphasis on scientific research and theory. Completing a PhD will require writing a dissertation based on original research.
- Gain experience in your field of expertise. Some nurse researchers gain extensive practical experience in a particular area of healthcare (such as pediatrics or geriatrics, cardiovascular problems, emergency medicine, pain management, multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease) and focus their research in this area. Others specialize in clinical, pharmaceutical, or epidemiological research and theory within a clinical or laboratory setting.
- Job opportunities and salary. Nurse researchers have many possible career avenues. They can conduct research at a teaching hospital, research organization, pharmaceutical company or university. They can bring their skills to other research projects. Some nurse researchers work on projects funded by government agencies, such as the National Institute of Nursing Research, or nonprofit health agencies. Some teach at the university level, publish books and do consultation.
- Salary. The salary for this nursing job is rewarding; in fact, nursing research is one of the highest paying nursing professions. Experienced research nurses can earn up to $95,000 in annual salary.
Many people go into nursing with a desire to help people who are injured or ill lead more fulfilling, healthy lives. As a nurse researcher, you will have the opportunity to improve the quality and effectiveness of healthcare on a larger scale and positively impact the lives of many patients and other nurses and healthcare professionals. Research projects take a long time from making the initial proposal to analyzing and publishing the results, but if you have the concentration, focus, and commitment to this kind of work, you may find this career highly rewarding.