development and basic scientific discovery through
evaluation and dissemination research. However when
nurses’ contributions to research are discussed, the
conversation within the discipline is primarily about 2
basic roles: the role of the nurse scientist who leads the
discovery side of the process, and the role of clinical
nurses and their professional leadership in assessing,
testing, applying, and adopting practices based on
research evidence (“evidence-based practice”). There
has been very little explicit attention over the past 30
years given in mainstream nursing to the roles, required
qualifications, and impact of nurses who practice in the
clinical research setting providing and coordinating the
care of research participants. The purpose of this paper
is to articulate the important contribution of clinical
nursing to the care of research participants, coordination
of clinical studies, and overall functioning of the
clinical research enterprise