Direct care nurses’ perceptions of their roles in clinical research: An integrated review of the literature

Purpose To review the extant literature relevant to perceptions by direct care nurses toward clinical research endeavors. Design An integrative review guided by the socioecological model was conducted. Methods Five databases were searched to identify relevant peer‐reviewed articles; there was no limitation on publication date. Findings The final sample (N = 9) was systematically appraised. Numerous barriers to direct care nurses’ ability to perform study activities on clinical research trials were encountered at all levels: (1) personal—comprehension, education, and training; (2) interpersonal—communication issues within or from the study team, failure to advocate for the patient; (3) organizational—lack of leadership support, knowledge, and time; and (4) community—insufficient guidance and oversight by research‐governing bodies. Conclusions Direct care nurses report numerous barriers to completing protocol‐administered activities for their patients participating in clinical research. A dearth of robust research exists in describing the reasons for, or persistence of, barriers faced by direct care nurses to assisting with research, and there have been little to no interventions to address them. Clinical relevance As translational research evolves and becomes more complex, there is the need to ensure both the care of clinical research participants and the integrity of the research. Direct care nurses are critical to this endeavor, and potential barriers they face may have significant ramifications for the research enterprise. Recognition of these barriers and eventual interventions designed to address them are needed.