Kaitlyn Francese on Getting Patients to Discuss Side Effects

Kaitlyn Francese, RN, a research nurse at NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses the difficulty she faces in getting patients on clinical trials to talk about their side effects.

When patients come in for follow-up visits, nurses first ask how they are feeling and if they have any side effects from treatment. Oftentimes, patients will claim that they are not experiencing side effects, but talk more openly if asked about specific events. Conversely, patients may tell the nurses that they are fine, but then tell the doctor about symptoms that are bothering them.