Validation method training: nurses' experiences and ratings of work climate.

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Nursing
• Communication Skills Training
• Workplace Psychology

Background:

• Communication skills training for nursing staff can enhance dementia care quality and job satisfaction.
• Changes in attitudes and practices impact the entire nursing staff, necessitating an understanding of their experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore nurses' experiences with a 1-year validation method training program for dementia care.
• To assess changes in work climate among nursing staff before and after the training.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods approach combining qualitative content analysis of interviews and quantitative analysis of the Creative Climate Questionnaire.
• Twelve nurses were interviewed post-training; 53 and 56 staff completed the questionnaire pre- and post-training, respectively.

Main Results:

• Interview analysis revealed themes of increased strain, shared experiences, enhanced confidence, and uncertainty regarding the validation method.
• Work climate questionnaire results indicated higher mean scores after the training program.

Conclusions:

• The validation method training enhanced nurses' confidence in dementia care but caused additional strain.
• While the training improved communication skills and handling of complex situations, its impact on overall staff strain requires further investigation.