OBJECTIVE: During infertility treatment patients may express emotions and the staff must be prepared to listen and work it out. Secretaries, receptionists, nurses and doctors seem to be very apart of the whole process despite of being constantly in touch with patients. We proposed a staff strategy through learning meetings in order to enable them to deal with infertility couples.DESIGN: Descriptive study.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Could a special coaching develop a favorable environment among the reproduction centre staff and the couples? The receptionists could help nurses and doctors to better assist patients who they understand that are apprehensive, angry, suspicious or fragile Everyone in ART centre should encourage dialogue, listen to the couple's concerns and be able to detect any problem that may interfere in treatment course. During the year of 2006, our centre of reproduction organized two meetings among doctors, embryologists, receptionists and managers to discuss the infertile couple and the different treatments. The nursery group took four more up-to-date lessons about aethiology, ovarian stimulation protocols, oocyte retrieval, laboratory procedures, oocyte donation, and patient's most frequent doubts.There were brief oral presentations and mainly interactions among the participants. In the second semester of the same year we had two meetings with the staff to evaluate the positive effects of the learning meetings on management of the infertile patients.RESULTS: Receptionists, nursery staff and managers improved self-confidence, cooperation and involvement in being helpful to the patients anxiety. They became more watchful and could instantly detect patient's problems and doubts. This resulted in assurance to the couple. Junior doctors were also involved and then started paying more attention to written notes from the seniors doctors. They used to classify these notes as “non medical”. Now they are aware that patients are always signaling us. Couples also reported a warm and gentle atmosphere within nursery staff, sonographists and receptionists. They described the treatment underwent in a peaceful and sheltering way. No matter the result, they felt the team worked with them.CONCLUSIONS: The doctor role in ART must be more than managing exams and techniques. The doctor shall stimulate the whole staff to let patients talk and listening to unspoken feelings. This may provide a new environment among patients and staff and a new way of understanding the ART treatments. OBJECTIVE: During infertility treatment patients may express emotions and the staff must be prepared to listen and work it out. Secretaries, receptionists, nurses and doctors seem to be very apart of the whole process despite of being constantly in touch with patients. We proposed a staff strategy through learning meetings in order to enable them to deal with infertility couples. DESIGN: Descriptive study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Could a special coaching develop a favorable environment among the reproduction centre staff and the couples? The receptionists could help nurses and doctors to better assist patients who they understand that are apprehensive, angry, suspicious or fragile Everyone in ART centre should encourage dialogue, listen to the couple's concerns and be able to detect any problem that may interfere in treatment course. During the year of 2006, our centre of reproduction organized two meetings among doctors, embryologists, receptionists and managers to discuss the infertile couple and the different treatments. The nursery group took four more up-to-date lessons about aethiology, ovarian stimulation protocols, oocyte retrieval, laboratory procedures, oocyte donation, and patient's most frequent doubts.There were brief oral presentations and mainly interactions among the participants. In the second semester of the same year we had two meetings with the staff to evaluate the positive effects of the learning meetings on management of the infertile patients. RESULTS: Receptionists, nursery staff and managers improved self-confidence, cooperation and involvement in being helpful to the patients anxiety. They became more watchful and could instantly detect patient's problems and doubts. This resulted in assurance to the couple. Junior doctors were also involved and then started paying more attention to written notes from the seniors doctors. They used to classify these notes as “non medical”. Now they are aware that patients are always signaling us. Couples also reported a warm and gentle atmosphere within nursery staff, sonographists and receptionists. They described the treatment underwent in a peaceful and sheltering way. No matter the result, they felt the team worked with them. CONCLUSIONS: The doctor role in ART must be more than managing exams and techniques. The doctor shall stimulate the whole staff to let patients talk and listening to unspoken feelings. This may provide a new environment among patients and staff and a new way of understanding the ART treatments.