A major issue faced by pediatric academic health care centres is a lack of integration and awareness of research at the bedside and in clinical care activities. Input from the clinical research coordinators at child-health research institutes across Canada was sought to understand the types of topics that would be impactful, relevant and of interest for clinical staff. This included advocacy, and awareness that patients have a desire to be informed of and provided with clinical trial opportunities, with the autonomy to choose whether or not they participate. Practical ways of supporting the continuation of clinical trials while managing care, including coordinating research assessments with clinical assessments was also identified. Challenges with navigating the "circle of care" to ask for permission to approach the patient and family for consenting to participate in research studies was also identified. And finally, current processes to ensure safety and proper reporting of adverse events when a patient is enrolled in a clinical trial was identified as critical topic.

A CT navigator is completing a literature search to gather information on existing resources for the integration of research into clinical care settings. In addition, short educational and awareness materials are being created to support the integration of research into clinical care in a readily accessible media format for managers, front-line staff, patients and families.