Welcome to the CRU, where clinical trials go from inception to execution to analysis.
The Clinical Research Unit (CRU) team of specialized nurses supports clinical trials research at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute (VCHRI) by conducting biomedical or health-related human clinical trials that are industry funded, grant funded, or investigator initiated. The information gathered at the CRU goes on to play an important role in cutting-edge research that will impact health care in B.C. and around the world.
Here’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at the CRU
Steve Vinette is a regular visitor to the CRU and an honorary CRU team member. Several times each week, he delivers dry ice from Praxair Canada to the lab where it’s used to keep samples from spoiling as they’re being transported from one location to the next. Steve is never without a cheerful smile and a new story about his son, Parker, to make everyone’s day brighter. Everyone at the CRU looks forward to dry ice delivery day. “I look forward to seeing all of the staff with their smiles, professionalism and positive attitudes,” says Steve about his visits.
In 2015, CRU manager and registered nurse Michelle Storms spent two weeks volunteering with La Gonave Community & Child Association in Haiti. She travelled with a medical team to La Gonave Island to provide basic medical care to orphaned children and destitute people who would otherwise go without.
“We provided very basic medical care and symptom relief for conditions where nothing else could realistically be done,” says Michelle. “Even a small change can make a big impact. For example, if you can relieve an elderly person’s constant heartburn, you change their quality of life. Suddenly they’re sleeping better and their days get easier.”
While in Haiti, Michelle and the team got to enjoy some of the Haitian culture, including a day in Croix-des-Bouquet, an artist community in Port-au-Prince famous for its metal art. One item she brought home was the mask that now hangs in her office to remind her of her time in Haiti and the people she met there.
Cookies are a staple at the CRU. Having blood drawn can leave some patients feeling a bit dizzy and a cookie often helps them feel better. Without patients to participate in clinical trials, research at VCH would grind to a halt, so the CRU team always treats them like the VIPs they are.
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