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About the GCRC
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Schedule
- Weekdays: 7am-6:30pm
- Saturdays: flexible 4 to 8-hour shift
- Varied schedules for early morning or late evening.
- Overnight arrangements are possible as well.
The Pediatric Clinical Research Center at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center
- Clinic space where you can see your outpatient subjects at no charge to them or your grant (depending on category of study)
- Inpatient unit where your inpatient subjects can be hospitalized overnight or for prolonged stays at no charge to them or your grant (depending on category of study)
- Nursing staff trained in Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and expert in implementing research protocols
- Patient assessment and ability to perform questionnaires
- Specimen collection and processing
- Variety of procedures
- Assistance with research study documents under GCP compliance: source documents, CRFs, study orders, research checklists (eligibility checklists, research procedure checklists)
- Development of orders for all your protocols
- A primary nurse specifically assigned to your protocol to function as a member of your clinical research team
- Selected routine laboratory tests provided at no charge (depending on category of study)
- Routine supplies are provided at no charge (depending on category of study)
- Short-term storage of specimens in our laboratory. Simple processing of research samples and short-term storage.
- Conference room use for scheduling research projects or your clinical research meetings
- Assistance in developing appropriate safety plans for your studies
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The goal of the Pediatric Clinical Research Center (PCRC) is to enable investigators to conduct
clinical research protocols in the clinical setting. Research, rather than patient service, is
the primary purpose of admission to the unit. Located at Children's Hospital and Regional
Medical Center, the PCRC facility is a resource for faculty at UW, CHRMC and other Seattle
area physicians.
As a satellite of the University of Washington GCRC, the PCRC is funded by the NIH to support
hospitalization and outpatient clinic costs for studies with human research subjects under 21
years of age. Investigations from a broad variety of
disciplines are facilitated by specialized research staff and facilities, including the
cores located at the GCRC at the UW.
In 2005, the PCRC completed its 9th year of operation and it is continuing to increase census at a
rapid pace. The PCRC supported 2,510 outpatient visits, representing a total of 138 Pediatric SAC
approved protocols.
Read on for more information or skip to the steps to apply to use the
PCRC.
Facilities
In March, 2006 the PCRC facilities moved to CHRMC’s newly constructed Ambulatory Care Building (ACB)
located on the 6th floor. The unit physically occupies 4,643 sq. ft. of which 3,856 sq. ft. is dedicated
to patient and clinical space. The patient care area includes the following:
- 406-sq.-ft. Lab for simple processing and storage of specimens and Soiled Utility
- Ten dedicated outpatient exam rooms
- Blood Draw Room
- Patient procedure/sleep study room
- Nourishment Room
- Medication and clean utility rooms
- Computer workstations for study team use
- Patient interview room with video taping equipment
- Conference room
Outpatient and Inpatient Care
We provide both outpatient services and inpatient services if needed. We can also bring our
PCRC services to where you do your research, for example, if your research takes place on an
inpatient service such as the Intensive Care Unit or the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Operating
Room, the PCRC staff can still assist you in conducting research. We go to all inpatient and
outpatient areas in the hospital. Furthermore, if your outpatient research takes place in the
Emergency Room, community or other location we can still be of service. If you have an unusual
site of practice or unusual research need, please call the PCRC Nurse Manager PRIOR to
submitting an application.
Nursing Expertise
Our nurses are clinical research nurses who are trained in Good Clinical Practices and pay
attention to detail. A primary nurse will be assigned to work on your study. The primary
nurse develops a protocol notebook that serves as a standard reference and guide for
implementing your study. The notebook includes a synopsis of the study, copy of the
protocol, IRB/SAC application, research flow sheets source, document forms, physician's
orders, etc. It details the specific standardized procedures required for implementing
your study. The primary nurse becomes a member of your research team. We make every attempt
to assign you the same primary nurse for your protocols so that person can develop some level
of expertise in your research area.
Procedures
Many investigators require special procedures be performed on subjects that are enrolled on
studies. The PCRC nursing staff is trained to perform the following procedures:
- Frequent non-invasive blood pressure and vital sign monitoring
- Placement of peripheral venous access devices
- Frequent blood sampling via angiocaths and arterial lines
- Pulse oximetry
- Spirometry and assistance with infant pulmonary function testing
- Glucose monitoring
- Specimen preparation and processing, aliquoting to specific protocol specifications and short term storage
- Administration of questionnaires
- ECGs with automated readings
- Continuous cardiac monitoring
- Maintenance and care of peripheral, central and arterial lines
- Administration of blood and blood products
- Portacath access
- Administration of investigational drugs
- Patient assessments
- Height, weight and anthropometric measurements
- Pain assessments and pain management via Patient Controlled Analgesics
- Allergy skin testing
Annual competency based training insures proficiency in these test procedures. If you plan a
study that requires a special procedure that is not similar to ones listed here, please contact
the Nurse Manager PRIOR to submission of your application to discuss feasibility of the
approach and potential nursing training.
Research Services
(provided fee of charge at the GCRC for non-industry studies)
- Blood draw materials: needles, syringes, tubes of routine blood tests
- Specimen collection containers for stool and urine
- Spirometry supplies
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- Urine dipstick testing for protein, etc.
- Urine pregnancy tests
- Glucose testing by finger stick
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More information about PCRC services
Subject Safety
Patient safety is of utmost importance to the PCRC program. All studies conducted must have
Children's Institutional Board Review (IRB) review and Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
approval. All patients and/or parents/guardians must have signed an informed assent/consent,
which assures that they understand the risk, benefits and all procedures conducted on the unit,
and that their personal rights are protected. In addition, all patients and/or their
parents/guardian must sign a HIPAA authorization form. The Research Subject Advocate (RSA)
Program associated with the GCRC and PCRC will help you develop safety monitoring plans for
your studies, craft informed consents, and help you make an estimate of study risk. There
are several other services available to you via the RSA program.
Education
Education of investigators and their staff in proper conduct of clinical research and
protection of human subjects is a priority of the unit.
Click here to
learn more about educational opportunities for junior investigators, clinical research
staff and residents.
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