There is a small, but growing group of people who are pushing patient care into the future: nurse scientists. Nurse scientists, also referred to as nurse researchers, are nurses who have pursued a PhD and conduct research. Most commonly found in academia, nurse scientists often apply for grants, teach students and lead research programs. Notably, this role is different from research nurses, who typically are registered nurses or nurse practitioners involved in conducting research, such as enrolling patients into clinical trials, but do not lead their own studies.

Recently, nurse scientists have been migrating to the hospital setting while maintaining a direct connection to clinical practice. This shift can be traced to the role’s Magnet designation, which put a major emphasis on research

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