Protection of Human Subjects
Application to Conduct Research with Human Participants
All researchers (faculty and students) must obtain prior approval to conduct research with human subjects. The university's Institutional Review Board (IRB) application is available at http://www.uakron.edu/orssp/.
The IRB application requires the investigator to answer questions related to human subjects and the intervention or other research techniques to be used in the research project. In addition, the application requires the investigator to attach copies of surveys, interview questions, or other instruments to be used with the subjects. Copies of informed consent forms, scripts to be read to subjects, and any other pertinent information should also be attached. For protocols to be performed under Public Health Service proposals, including the National Institutes of Health, the investigator should attach a complete copy of the proposal.
The investigator must answer all the questions on the IRB application, sign the form, and submit it to the University's IRB. Advice may be sought in advance of submission from the IRB support staff or from the Office of Nursing Research and Scholarship. The researcher may also be directed to a helpful School of Nursing IRB member.
Investigators are responsible for complying with all applicable provisions of The University of Akron Guidelines and Procedures for the Protection of Human Subjects. Investigators must read the University's approved Multiple Project Assurance (MPA) M-1077, Title 45 Part 46 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and the Belmont Report which delineates the rights of human subjects. These documents can be viewed on the ORSSP website: http://www.akron.edu/orssp/ under Compliance, Human Subjects, Policy & Procedures Manual.
Education in Protection of Human Research Participants
In addition to reading key documents related to the protection of human subjects, all researchers should be educated in the basic human subjects protection requirements. This education is required for researchers and key personnel conducting research submitted to and/or funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which includes the National Institute for Nursing Research. The NIH does not endorse any particular curricula, but it does have an on-line tutorial in the basics of the protection of human research participants. The training program can be accessed on the website of the NIH Office of Human Subjects Research http://ohsr.od.nih.gov/. A certificate is issued at the completion of the tutorial.
Additional information about the Protection of Human Subjects is available at the following websites: