Nurses' unique roles in randomized clinical trials

Nurses are in an ideal position to promote patients' awareness of the role played by clinical trials in the advancement of health science and the subs equent improvement of patient care. The history of clinical trials and the four phases of clinical trials are described. Nurses' professional roles in clinical trial participation, such as helping the patient to identify open clinical trials and acting as clinical interpreter and patient advocate du ring the patient's participation in a trial, are detailed. Professional con siderations that must be addressed by the nurse are reviewed and include en suring that the trial has received approval from an Institutional Review Bo ard for the participation of human subjects; that the responsibilities of p articipation are congruent with the nurse's personal values and workplace o bligations; and that once engaged, the nurse can make the commitment to sus tain participation in the trial. Most important, the nurse must keep the pa tient's needs and Values uppermost in mind during the evaluation of potenti al clinical trials. Nurses have a critical role to play in the promotion of clinical trials, the recruitment of patients for clinical trial participat ion, the education of the patient and family, and the clinical care and sup port of patients throughout their participation in clinical trials.