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Research Nurse

Research Nurses care for terminally ill patients, providing support and symptom management in hospitals, aged care, and home settings.

How do I become a research nurse

Get qualified to work as a research nurse with a course recognised across Australia. Speak to a training provider to learn more.

Common questions

The weekly salary for a Research Nurse in Australia typically ranges from approximately $1,600 to $2,300. Increase your earning capacity by undertaking post-graduate qualifications, especially a Master’s or PhD in nursing education and research.

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There are no clear employment figures for Research Nurses currently working in Australia. They are employed by universities and academic institutions as well as hospitals, medical research clinics, non-profits, and government agencies.

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To become a Research Nurse you must complete a Bachelor of Nursing and then apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Once you are a qualified Registered Nurse (RN) you should complete a post-graduate qualification in nursing education. Excellent choices include the Graduate Diploma of Advanced Nursing (Research), Master of Nursing Science, and Master of Nursing (Research). Many Research Nurses have also obtained their PhD in Nursing.

Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023

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Further reading

What can you do with a Diploma of Nursing?

2nd February 2021

Career Pathways for Graduates After Studying a Diploma of Nursing and a Bachelor of Nursing

4th October 2024

Why is Nursing a Good Career Choice in Australia?

25th November 2022

Research Nurse careers

Research Nurses are qualified Registered Nurses (RNs) who are at the forefront of medical innovations and improvements to nursing and treatment practices. They hold post-graduate research qualifications and may work in a clinical setting supporting research teams or in academia pursuing independent research.

As a Research Nurse you could be interviewing patients before a new procedure and recording their perceptions, monitoring the progress of a patient who has received experimental treatment, recording patient vitals during a drug trial, updating a medical database, evaluating the data from a clinical trial, or writing the outline for proposed research paper.