Clinical Research Nurse Navigator-Department of Neurosurgery-Neuro-Oncology

University of Florida•Gainesville, FL

55d•$87,000 - $95,000

About The Position

The Clinical Research Nurse supports recruitment, screening, eligibility review, enrollment, patient navigation, and continuity of care for pediatric and adult brain tumor clinical trials, including Phase I and first-in-human studies. The nurse serves as a clinical research resource and patient advocate, coordinating with patients, families, investigators, research coordinators, referring providers, and multidisciplinary care teams. The role includes assessing clinical and nonclinical factors that may affect study participation; educating patients and families about disease, treatment, trial requirements, investigational therapies, medications, symptom management, informed consent, and support services; and coordinating visits, evaluations, records, travel, and lodging assistance. The nurse also maintains clinical and research documentation and helps ensure data quality and compliance with IRB, GCP, FDA, and other applicable requirements. The position leads and evaluates recruitment and outreach activities, develops SOPs and educational materials, tracks program metrics, reports on enrollment and outreach outcomes, and supports quality improvement and workflow development for the brain tumor research program.

Requirements

Graduate of a nationally accredited nursing program.
Three years of professional nursing experience.
Licensed as a registered nurse in accordance with Chapter 464, Florida Statutes.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with oncology or neurology patient populations.
Experience with clinical trial recruitment or patient navigation.
At least two years of experience in a clinical research, healthcare, or patient services setting.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a multidisciplinary team.
Knowledge of HIPAA and research ethics regulations.
Experience in event planning and logistics.
Bilingual or multilingual abilities, especially Spanish or languages commonly spoken by international patients.
Familiarity with Epic, REDCap, OnCore, or other electronic health record or clinical trial management systems.
Certification through a professional clinical research association such as AACRN, ACRP, or SOCRA.

Responsibilities

Lead screening and eligibility efforts for pediatric and adult brain tumor trials, including Phase I and first-in-human clinical trials.
Serve as a clinical research nurse and patient advocate for patients participating in clinical trials.
Review medical histories and assist investigators with determining study eligibility.
Conduct comprehensive nursing assessments of clinical, psychosocial, financial, and logistical factors affecting participation, adherence, or access to care.
Coordinate clinic visits, diagnostic evaluations, and acquisition of outside medical records with the Neurosurgery Referrals Team.
Educate patients and families about disease processes, treatment plans, study requirements, investigational therapies, medications, symptom management, supportive care, informed consent, patient rights, and support services.
Collaborate with physicians, advanced practice providers, research coordinators, social workers, and multidisciplinary teams to address participation barriers and optimize outcomes.
Assist with care coordination and trial participation for domestic and international patients, including travel and lodging assistance.
Document patient interactions, assessments, interventions, and study activities in the electronic medical record and clinical trial management systems.
Coordinate recruitment efforts for pediatric and adult brain tumor trials.
Develop and maintain SOPs, dashboards, timelines, and metrics for recruitment, enrollment, and patient integration into the research program.
Track recruitment performance and outreach metrics, and provide reports and recommendations to leadership on enrollment trends, feasibility, outreach outcomes, and program growth.
Lead or participate in research team meetings to review progress, participant status, protocol issues, recruitment, and alignment.
Support quality improvement initiatives and workflow enhancements to improve patient access, retention, and research operations.
Maintain study records, regulatory documentation, research files, and clinical research data in accordance with applicable requirements.
Serve as the primary clinical point of contact for patients, families, referring providers, and outside institutions regarding brain tumor trial opportunities.
Coordinate patient navigation from identification through enrollment and study participation, including scheduling necessary appointments and coordinating records.
Lead outreach initiatives and community events to promote awareness of trials and research opportunities across diverse populations.
Serve as a nursing resource for patients, families, healthcare providers, advocacy organizations, and community partners.
Develop and deliver educational presentations about clinical trial participation, research opportunities, disease-specific care, and emerging therapies.
Collaborate with UF Health foundation, marketing, and communications teams on patient-centered educational materials and outreach campaigns.
Establish and maintain partnerships with referring providers, healthcare organizations, advocacy groups, and community stakeholders.
Participate in and support community events, educational programs, survivorship initiatives, and advocacy activities.