Margaret, I've used lots of role playing in similar teaching workshops while doing staff inservice or childbirth educator certification programs. In the situation you describe (cross training) its a great way to honor that staff members have a wealth of knowledge to contribute (although sometimes it could use some +ACo-updating+ACo-). It makes the learning experience fun. People learn best when having a good time and when their experience is being valued by others. Retention of learned material will be far greater if participants have the opportunity to +ACo-practice by doing+ACo- what they've learned asap after the material is introduced. You could try having staff members role play the parts of staff and new parents, perhaps even throwing in scenes in which other family members (grandparents or siblings) or family friends are present. Throw a physician or two into the mix, perhaps a visiting ob or pediatrician. Try to create scenarios which will help portray the objectives you want to accomplish. Give ample time for feedback, drawing out the participants or observers (if you have a large group), asking open ended questions like +ACo-What could so and so have done differently?+ACo- +ACo-What else might so and so have said or done?+ACo- You can really get into this and have lots of fun with it, perhaps passing a note to a few of the participants who are role playing asking them to take on certain behavior or attitudes. For example asking the person playing the dad to be adamant that he wants to be able to give bottles himself, or the person playing the mil who is visiting during the hospital stay to say things that might undermine the new mom's confidence...... This would give others the opportunity to practice dealing with these situations before they have to confront them in person in real life. Another thought on cross training: Depending on group size, you may want to break into two groups, or keep it as one. If two, have one group brainstorm a list of the disadvantages (or things they don't anticipate liking about changing to an LDRPN situation). Have the other group brainstorm a list of things they see as advantages of the switch (+ACo-It'll give us the opportunity to do such and such...+ACo-). Remind them that the Chinese character for crisis is the same as the character for opportunity. Mostly, when faced with crisis, we may feel somewhat threatened so we tense up and resist change, clinging to that which is familiar. The more involved we become in the process of change, the more pro-active we are, the more investment we have in its success, and the more likely the entire project is to be successful. Have fun with it. You're on the right track simply by being aware that spoon feeding has disadvantages. Good insight. Joyce Blangiardo RN, FACCE, IBCLC LamazeLady+AEA-msn.com Rockville Centre, NY