Managing difficult staff interactions: effectiveness of assertiveness training for SCI nursing staff.

Sixty-one members of the nursing staff of a spinal cord injury (SCI) center at a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical center were assessed before and after a 3-hour class on managing difficult staff interactions. The assessment consisted of two questionnaires that were developed to assess staff discomfort when dealing with common interpersonal situations in rehabilitation. The class involved a lecture and discussion, modeling, and behavior rehearsal. Repeated measures analysis of variance showed an overall effect of training. There was also a statistically significant relationship between staff members' educational levels and the level of discomfort related to interpersonal interactions that they experienced after attending the class. Registered nurses reported a statistically significant decrease in discomfort. The conclusion was that the class was effective in helping registered nurses reduce their discomfort in some difficult rehabilitation situations.