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Research Nurse

Specialist nurses look after patients with serious health conditions. They combine nursing skills with special knowledge about particular illnesses and conditions. They work in hospitals, care homes, and the community.

Research Nurse

6

Nursing and Midwifery

AI IMPACT
AI CAN DO6%moving to51%
THE DOOR, NOWB
THE DOOR, 20 YRSD
STARTING PAY£25,000 - £30,000
MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIEDA real score, but the moat is not yet classified. No claim either way.
AI can do very little of this work today
Hands-on work, caring for people and dealing with the real world are among the hardest things to automate, and this job leans on them. We have not yet formally classified its moat, so we make no claim either way, but the exposure score speaks for itself.

The role

As a specialist nurse, you look after patients with complex health conditions - this might be diabetes, heart disease, mental health problems, or many other things. You use your nursing skills plus your specialist knowledge to help patients manage their condition and feel better. You work in hospitals, clinics, care homes, or patients' homes.

Your day involves assessing patients to understand their needs, giving medicines and treatments, and checking how they are getting on. You work with doctors, therapists, and social workers to create a care plan for each patient. You also listen to patients' worries and support them emotionally - a lot of your job is making sure people understand their condition and feel able to manage it. The work is busy but rewarding because you see the difference you make.

Daily responsibilities

  • Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients' health conditions and needs.
  • Develop and implement individualized care plans in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams.
  • Administer medications and treatments as prescribed, ensuring adherence to safety protocols.
  • Provide emotional and psychological support to patients and their families.
  • Monitor and evaluate patient progress, adjusting care plans as necessary.
  • Educate patients and their families about health management and disease prevention.
  • Participate in continuous professional development and training to stay updated with best practices.
  • Engage in research and quality improvement initiatives to enhance nursing practices.

Does a degree help here?

A UK degree in nursing provides candidates with a comprehensive understanding of the NHS framework, clinical practices, and ethical standards, all of which are crucial for a successful career as a Research Nurse. UK universities also offer strong links with healthcare institutions, enhancing employability and networking opportunities.

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AI EXPOSURE = the share of a job's day-to-day tasks AI can already do today, from the same exposure engine used across this site (Anthropic labour market research, 2026, observed real-world AI usage by occupation). Higher means more exposed. It is a measurement of now, not a prediction. THE DOOR = how hard the job is to get into, grade A (easy) to E (extremely hard), from each career's published forecast (OpenAI, "The AI Jobs Transition Framework", Richmond 2026, CC BY 4.0). A card marked MOAT NOT YET CLASSIFIED has a real exposure score but no entry yet in our moat register, so we make no claim about what structurally protects it. Scorecard grades and verdicts are Careermash editorial judgment: we show forecasts as forecasts and own our conclusions. Salary and pathway figures are each career's own published profile. Careermash is a service provided by What School Ltd.

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