Using experiential techniques for staff development: liking, learning, and doing.

Experiential techniques, such as role plays and simulations, are recommended to achieve nursing home staff training and development objectives. Experiential techniques can be customized to match the learning styles and preferences of all levels of nursing staff. Nursing staff's reactions to and benefits from such techniques are a necessary first step in the evaluation of a skills training program. Project RELATE (Research and Education for Living with Alzheimer's Disease: Therapeutic Eldercare) measured reactions to and knowledge gained by nursing staff using such techniques in training person-centered care. Findings suggest experiential techniques are efficacious as learning methods.