Background Reorganizing the Approach to Diabetes through the Application of Registries (RADAR) improved diabetes care and outcomes for First Nations people in Alberta, Canada. The nurse involved in the implementation of RADAR performed two roles in this model of care: research nurse and care coordinator.

Aim To describe the research nurse’s dual role in the implementation and evaluation of RADAR.

Discussion The research nurse not only documented and collected data in hard-to-reach communities as part of effective research, she also provided remote care coordination to support community healthcare providers using a culturally tailored registry to facilitate population-level care. This dual role required many qualities of nursing leadership and transformation.

Conclusion The research nurse’s two roles contributed to the success of the intervention and were critical to the successful implementation of the model, creating valuable real-world evidence across diverse populations and settings.

Implications for practice Nurses are well placed to perform research duties alongside engagement and implementation activities. This can enhance the effectiveness and evaluation of healthcare interventions, particularly in community-based interventions within First Nations communities.