Welcome to IACRN Japan Chapter Website!
1.Background
In Japan, many research nurses have been involved in clinical research as Clinical Research Coordinators (CRCs). CRCs were established in 1998 and consist of various disciplines, such as nurses, pharmacists, lab technicians, and other medical professionals. Since clinical research has been increased, complex, and globalized in the last two decades, great attention has been given to the team approach included patients and public.The impact of the promotion of clinical research and the changing regulatory environment by the Japanese government has increased the number of research participants in various hospitals and clinics. Therefore, these research participants increase the demand for Clinical Research Nurses (CRNs). The latter can provide expert nursing care for research participants. To safeguard research participants and promote research integrity by nursing contributions in the clinical research process, we need to clarify the role and practices of CRNs in various settings and increase educational opportunities in Japan.
Therefore, it was launched to educate and promote CRNs who contribute to clinical trials by providing high-quality clinical research nursing care by demonstrating their expertise as a member of a multidisciplinary research team and by balancing the needs of research participants and research protocol requirements.
For “enhancing clinical research quality and safety through specialized nursing practice,” the IACRN Japan Chapter assumes the following roles.
2. Our Activities
Since the IACRN Japan Chapter was founded, five officers have been playing the role of the leader who informs, enlightens, and educates about the importance of research nurses in Japan. We have lectured in their facilities, societies, and academic settings by utilizing our network about the importance of research nurses and IACRN inside and outside of Japan. Moreover, we translated OCTN competencies (ONS) and the research textbook. We are now conducting the “Scope and Standard of Practice” by IACRN and ANA, translation project and research regarding research nurses. We started at this beginning phase that the five officers continue doing these educational and disseminated activities together, and then our membership is growing. Now we hold all-hands MTG every 3 months, and active update-MTGs by each other. Additionally, we have held the annual Japanese research nurse forum since 2020, and the biannual research nurse café since 2022.
In 2020, the Japan Chapter was honored to receive donations and support from the organization “delete C.” The organization is a non-profit organization that supports cancer research by patients and the public, including many health care professionals in Japan. Clinical research is collaborative work with current patients in a team approach for future patients. “Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement: PPIE” is the key to success.
A couple of years pass after the establishment of the Japan Chapter, and we have been making research nurses’ history in Japan. The Japan Chapter will continue to have educational, research, and networking activities to disseminate the importance of clinical research nurses.
3. Members
| President | Noriko Fujiwara, PhD, RN, CRN-BC, OCNS, CCRP |
|---|---|
| Vice President / Treasurer | Hiroko Nakahama, RN, CCRP |
| Secretary | Naoko So, MS, RN |
| Supervisor / Membership Chair | Izumi Kohara, DNSc, RN, CCRP |
| Supervisor | Noriko Morishita, MS, RN |
| Member | Shoko Yokokura, MHS, RN |
| Member | Yoshimi Fukagawa, MBA, BSN,RN,CCRP |