With research nurse coordinators playing what is to outsiders an often underrecognized role in strengthening and championing many clinical trials teams, a partnership between one such team and an academic nursing program aims to introduce nursing students to clinical research as a meaningful and dynamic career option.
Discussing the partnership at the upcoming ACRP 2026 conference in Orlando in a session called “The Future is Coordinated: Developing the Research Nurse Workforce” will be Lauren Hasty, BSN, RN, CCRC, Clinical Research Nurse in Infectious Diseases, and Jamie Russell, CCRC, Manager – Clinical Research Management, both from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
“The clinical research workforce is facing growing challenges, especially in the recruitment and retention of research nurse coordinators,” says Hasty. “Our team’s collaboration with a bachelor of science in nursing program is engaging future nurses early in their education to build their awareness of and interest in clinical trials and helping bridge the gap between clinical care and research.”
Attendees of the duo’s session will hear how this model not only expands the pipeline of qualified professionals but also enhances the visibility and value of the research nurse coordinator role within healthcare.
“We’ll be sharing insights, lessons learned, and steps for developing similar collaborations with nursing schools,” notes Russell. “This forward-thinking approach has the potential to significantly strengthen the clinical research workforce and ensure a more sustainable, informed, and engaged generation of research-ready nurses.”
Among the current challenges and gaps in the clinical research workforce that Hasty and Russell plan to address is the lack of awareness and understanding of the research nurse coordinator role. Limited visibility of this career path contributes to workforce shortages, but nursing expertise can uniquely enhance clinical trial quality, safety, and participant care, they say.
“Early exposure to clinical research for nursing students and new graduates involves integrating clinical research into existing nursing curricula, such as evidence-based practice courses that introduce students to real-world protocols and research methodology,” Hasty explains. “In our talk, we’ll share examples of class-based discussions and small practicums that brought research concepts to life for students.”
The Future is Coordinated: Developing the Research Nurse Workforce
Join Lauren and Jamie at ACRP 2026 [April 24-27; Orlando, Fla.] as they highlight an innovative collaboration between a clinical research team and a bachelor of science in nursing program aimed at introducing nursing students to clinical research as a meaningful and dynamic career option. View complete schedule.
The presenters will showcase how to develop an action plan for initiating or enhancing collaboration with nursing schools to build a sustainable clinical research workforce.
“We’ll be guiding attendees through this process using our own experience as a model and outlining actionable steps and tools that can be adapted to create meaningful partnerships with evidence-based practice faculty and academic leaders,” Russell says.
Edited by Gary Cramer
