You Are Often the First Person They Meet

Part of Research Assistant (ASSIST) Training: Talking to Participants.

About 1 minutes. Free, in your language, no account needed.

The greeting is part of the study

You may be the person who meets a participant at the door, shows them where to sit and makes them a drink. That is not separate from the research. Someone who feels comfortable turns up for their next visit, and a study that loses participants loses its answer.

Retention is built at reception as much as in the consultation room.

What you can talk about

Practical things, freely. Where the toilets are. How long today will take. Where to park next time. Whether they can eat afterwards.

You can also explain the shape of a visit — that they will see the nurse, then have bloods taken, then see the doctor. Process is not medical advice.

What you route to someone else

Anything about their condition, their treatment, their results, or whether they should keep taking something. Anything about whether they are on the real drug. Anything that starts "do you think I should".

Routing is not brushing them off. "That is exactly the right question for the nurse, let me get her" is a good answer and participants take it well.

Do not fill a silence with reassurance

The strong instinct when someone is anxious is to reassure them. "I am sure it is fine" or "that is normal" are medical statements, even when they are meant kindly, and you may be wrong.

You can say you do not know and that you will find someone who does. That is honest and it is kinder than a reassurance that turns out to be wrong.