(RN) Research Nurse - Psychiatry - 140287

UC San Diego Health is proud to be a four-time Magnet-designated organization and has now earned Magnet with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet is the gold standard for nursing excellence, achieved by only about 10% of hospitals worldwide. Magnet with Distinction is awarded to the highest-performing Magnet organizations, with only a select few earning this prestigious honor. This recognition reflects our commitment to transformational leadership, professional nursing excellence, innovation, exceptional patient outcomes, and an empowering practice environment where nurses thrive.

UCSD Department of Psychiatry is one of the most innovative and productive academic departments in the country, offering challenging career opportunities in the diverse areas of advanced educational programs, cutting-edge research, and state-of-the-art clinical services. The department is committed to offering a dynamic learning environment and growing opportunities to its talented and dedicated employees.

Under the general supervision of the Principal Investigator and study physicians, the Research Nurse will be responsible for administering investigational drugs for psychedelic-assisted therapy, including ketamine and psilocybin, as well as assisting with clinical trials and neuroscientific studies funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and ARPA-H focused on the treatment of addiction and other psychiatric disorders. The incumbent will provide direct clinical nursing care and participant monitoring for these studies.

Responsibilities include performing clinical nursing assessments, obtaining medical histories, collecting vital signs and biological specimens, administration and monitoring of investigational treatments (e.g., intramuscular ketamine, psilocybin), performing ECG and other clinical data collection procedures as required by protocol, monitoring participants throughout dosing visits, adverse event management, and administration of rescue medication as needed, and maintenance of research documentation. The position requires close collaboration with investigators, psychiatrists, pharmacists, and research staff to ensure compliance with institutional, state, federal, FDA, DEA, and sponsor requirements. Perform other duties as assigned.

• Must be a graduate from an accredited school of Nursing.

• Current California RN license.

• BLS/CPR certification at time of hire with commitment to get BART within 6 months of hire date.

• Six months of RN clinical experience.

• Experience and ability to accurately collect, record, transcribe and synthesize clinical data.

• Demonstrated experience providing a wide variety of research participants care activities including research participants assessment, triage, obtaining a detailed medical history and vital signs, explaining medical conditions and procedures, reviewing medications and providing health education to clients and coordinating care with clinical medical staff.

• Knowledge regarding the standard pre-test or pre-procedure instructions which research participants should receive.

• Knowledge of the name, abbreviation, and purpose of various diagnostic tests/procedures, including proper scheduling and completion of necessary requisitions and consents.

• Demonstrated experience interacting positively, constructively, and effectively with staff, physicians, research participants and the general public.

• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to effectively and efficiently coordinate clinical and data activities for the enrollment and retention of research participants on clinical trials.

• Experience maintaining research participants confidentiality and communicating (verbally and written) with research participants, staff and physicians with professionalism, sensitivity and discretion.

• Proficient at word processing, spreadsheet, and E-mail with experience producing reports, profiles, correspondence, graphs, and spreadsheets to generate and track required data and using Epic.

• Experience working independently and prioritizing tasks to meet strict guidelines and deadlines.

• Experience performing effectively under conditions of fluctuating workload and frequent interruptions.

• BSN and/or MSN.

• Demonstrated experience with clinical research activities and guidelines related to consent, ethical conduct and protection of human subjects.

• Demonstrated experience in operation and management of clinical trials or studies.

• Experience reading and interpreting clinical research protocols and research policies and procedures.

• Experience in providing care to research participants with substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders.

• Knowledge of and ability to communicate and ensure compliance of current UCSD Medical Center and Research policies and procedures. Knowledge of UCSD Medical Center, JCAHO, and Title XXII hospital licensing regulations.

• Intermediate skills in using quality assessment and quality improvement methods.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.

• Selected candidate may be hired at the CNIII level pending review and approval by the Nurse Executive Council.

• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule including occasional early mornings, evenings and weekends.

• Must have reliable transportation and willing to travel occasionally to attend national meetings.

• Must be able to work various hours and locations based on business needs.