LAUSR

It does not seem that long ago that we were sitting in the canteen of the old Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, chatting about writing what would turn out to be our first joint publication: ‘Professional issues associated with the role of the research nurse’ (Hill and MacArthur 2006). Since then, this article has been cited almost 70 times and it is exciting to still see it cropping up in publications over the last few years. Having said that, it is so old that ‘clinical’ had not even been added to the job title yet! The International Association of Clinical Research Nursing (IACRN) defines clinical research nursing as ‘the specialised practice of professional nursing focused on maintaining equilibrium between care of the research participant and fidelity to the research protocol’. They delineate five domains within the role that focus on: human subject protection, care coordination and continuity, contribution to clinical science, clinical practice and study management (IACRN, 2012). Looking back to our publication, in terms of clinical research nursing and midwifery (CRN/M), 2006 seems like a bygone time when, in Scotland at least, development opportunities were scarce, promotion was rare, appraisal of performance barely existed and understanding of the role was patchy, at best. If we compare that to the contemporary position in most Western countries, the differences are stark. There are now national and international bodies that offer support to nurses and midwives in these roles, an ever clearer career structure, a growing repertoire of training possibilities and increasing numbers of students undertaking practice learning in clinical research environments. Perhaps most significantly in the last two years since the first COVID-19 trials began, there has been a palpable growth in the appreciation and recognition of the value of CRNs and CRMs. Indeed, the very fact that the Journal of Research in Nursing has commissioned a focussed edition on these roles is testament of how far things have come. For that, we think every CRN and CRM should be proud of everything they have achieved However, also key to this progression is how these individuals have come together to coalesce and collaborate. From our own first experiences of the local CRN community in Edinburgh, through