Research Nurse - Head and Neck

Join the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute where more than 250 highly skilled healthcare professionals provide advanced cancer care to thousands of patients each year. This team focuses on a wide variety of services and innovations, including clinical trials and internationally recognized research efforts. Here, you will work with the latest technologies, gain hands-on experience, receive endless support and build a rewarding career with one of the most respected healthcare organizations in the world. 

Groundbreaking research and discoveries happen every day at Cleveland Clinic. As a Radiation Oncology Research Nurse, you will assist with the implementation and conduct of human subject research projects, utilizing the nursing process while ensuring adherence to research protocol requirements. In this role, you will engage in a dynamic mix of responsibilities that may include direct patient interaction, coordination and support of clinical research trials, and administrative tasks related to study start-up and ongoing trial management. The day-to-day experience is varied, offering a blend of clinical and research activities in a collaborative environment. This position plays a vital role in advancing research that offers new hope to cancer patients who may have exhausted standard treatment options, providing access to innovative therapies that could improve outcomes and quality of life.

A caregiver in this position works days from 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. or 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Option to work from home one day a week after six months of hire.

A caregiver who excels in this role will:  

• Serve as a liaison between investigators, research personnel, outside study personnel and central research administration offices to assist in protocol interpretation, enrollment and safety questions. 

• Utilize the nursing process as a basis for patient care. 

• Assess research subjects, complete nursing assessments, document findings in research subject records and notify the physician of abnormal findings. 

• Establish a care plan in collaboration with the research subject, family and research team. 

• Coordinate ongoing care, identify discharge needs and facilitate discharge planning as appropriate. 

• Perform telephone triage, nursing procedures and treatments.  

• Evaluate, initiate and maintain standards of care consistent with CCHS policies and procedures. 

• Assist with specialized patient care equipment as required by the clinical research protocol. 

• Administer medications and treatments as ordered by a physician or LIP. 

• Direct, coordinate and participate in the evaluation and supervision of nursing care provided to research subjects, establishing patient care priorities and delegating nursing activities according to the patient’s needs and staff qualifications and capabilities. 

• Maintain knowledge of research protocol to coordinate the comprehensive and compliant execution of assigned protocols. 

• Assist with the preparation for audits and response to audits as appropriate. 

• Assist with the development of protocol-specific checklists. 

• Conduct and document the informed consent process. 

• Assist with research project budget development. 

• Meet clinical competency requirements.  

• Maintain current knowledge in a specialty area.  

• Participate in process improvement activities.  

• Successfully complete certification in Human Subjects Research within 90 days or hire as required by the Responsible Conduct of Research Guidelines adopted by Cleveland Clinic.  

Minimum qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include:   

• Graduate from an accredited School of Professional Nursing 

• Current state licensure as a Registered Nurse (RN) 

• Two years of clinical experience 

• Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification through the American Heart Association (AHA) 

• Basic computer proficiency 

• Cancer-specific certification or demonstrated ongoing qualifying education for RNs in Medical Oncology, Radiation Oncology, the Cancer Center, the Cancer Clinic and/or Chemotherapy 

• Complete certification in Human Subjects Research as required by the Responsible Conduct of Research guidelines adopted by Cleveland Clinic within 90 days of hire

• Med-surg or ICU background

Preferred qualifications for the ideal future caregiver include: 

• Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) 

• Oncology experience and/or research experience

Physical Requirements:

• Requires full range of body motion, manual and finger dexterity, and eye-hand coordination.

• Requires standing and walking for extended periods of time.

• Requires corrected vision and hearing to normal range.

• Requires working under stressful conditions and irregular hours.

• Exposure to communicable diseases and/or body fluids.

• Medium Work - Exerting 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work.

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.

The policy of Cleveland Clinic Health System and its system hospitals (Cleveland Clinic Health System) is to provide equal opportunity to all of our caregivers and applicants for employment in our drug free environment. All offers of employment are followed by testing for controlled substances.

Cleveland Clinic Health System administers an influenza prevention program. You will be required to comply with this program, which will include obtaining an influenza vaccination on an annual basis or obtaining an approved exemption.

Decisions concerning employment, transfers and promotions are made upon the basis of the best qualified candidate without regard to color, race, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, ancestry, status as a disabled or Vietnam era veteran or any other characteristic protected by law. Information provided on this application may be shared with any Cleveland Clinic Health System facility. 

If applying for a Florida position, please see the following website for more information on the background screening requirements required by the Agency of Health Care Administration: https://info.flclearinghouse.com/

Please review the Equal Employment Opportunity poster. 

Cleveland Clinic is pleased to be an equal employment opportunity employer.