Training Healthcare Workers for Suicide Prevention

Suicide is a major issue for public health. Many people who take their own lives had contact with Healthcare services shortly before their deaths. This shows that healthcare settings are important places to work on preventing suicide. However, studies suggest that many healthcare workers do not get the right Training to help in preventing suicide effectively.

#The Problem

A study in Sweden found that 86% of individuals who died by suicide had received healthcare in the year before their deaths. In the month leading up to their deaths, more than half had seen a healthcare provider. In contrast, only 20% of the general population had consulted a healthcare provider in the same timeframe.

Healthcare workers such as nurses, doctors, social workers, and pharmacists are in a good position to notice signs of someone thinking about suicide. They can refer these individuals to appropriate help. However, many healthcare workers feel poorly prepared to handle these situations. They often lack the necessary knowledge and training about suicide and self-harm. This gap may prevent them from responding effectively to someone at risk.

#Importance of Training

Training for healthcare staff is crucial in Suicide Prevention. However, many workers and Students feel that their skills in this area are lacking. This low confidence can be a barrier to effective prevention efforts. A program aimed at training healthcare students on suicide prevention could help ensure that all graduates start their careers with the skills and knowledge needed to address this problem.

Currently, there isn’t enough information or research about suicide prevention training in health and social care Education. This review aims to understand what is being taught about suicide prevention in higher education. It focuses on both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.

#Study Design

This review will follow a systematic approach to gather information about suicide prevention curricula in health and social care education. The goal is to identify what teaching methods are being used, the content of the courses, and their impact on students.

#Research Question

The main question for this review is: "What teaching methods are used to implement suicide prevention courses in higher education, and what effects do these courses have on student learning?"

#Inclusion Criteria

The review will look at studies that focus on suicide prevention training for health and social care degree students at the university level. There are no limits on the region of study, but only studies published in English since January 1, 2011, will be included. Studies that do not focus on university-based training will not be considered.

#Types of Sources

The review will include various types of studies, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. It will also look at grey literature, which consists of materials not published in traditional academic journals but that may still provide valuable information.

#Search Strategy

The search for relevant studies will target peer-reviewed articles and grey literature. Initial searches will help identify published articles to understand the scope of the topic. The search strategy will include keywords related to "university students," "suicide prevention," and "education." Relevant databases like Scopus and Web of Science will be used.

Other databases, including Google Scholar and various grey literature databases, will also be searched. The references from included studies will be checked to find any studies that may have been missed in the initial search.

#Study Selection Process

Once studies are identified, they will be gathered into a reference manager to streamline the process. The selection will happen in two stages: first by reviewing titles and abstracts, and then by examining the full texts. Grey literature will be screened using summaries and table of contents when available.

Two independent reviewers will check the studies against the set inclusion criteria. If there are disagreements, a third reviewer will help resolve any issues. The process will be clearly documented, showing which studies were included and which were not.

#Data Extraction

A data extraction form will be created to gather key details from each included study. This will include information about the authors, the country where the study took place, the year it was published, the study's population, and specifics of the training program.

Key items will include:

• The type of program (e.g., course length and number of sessions)
• Learning outcomes
• Whether the training was essential or mandatory
• The content level (basic or advanced)
• The teaching methods used

The form will be adjusted as necessary during the data gathering process. Any disagreements among reviewers will be resolved by including a third reviewer.

#Results Overview

The goal of this review is to summarize existing evidence about suicide prevention programs in higher education. Data extraction will be carried out by two reviewers who will compare their findings to ensure accuracy. If necessary, missing information will be requested from the original authors.

The results will be analyzed for common patterns using thematic analysis. The review will highlight important findings regarding what health and social care students learn about suicide prevention, how programs are designed, and their effectiveness in changing students' knowledge and attitudes.

#Limitations

This review will have some limitations. Only studies published in English will be included, which may overlook valuable research from other regions. Also, searching grey literature can be challenging, and some relevant sources may not be identified. However, every effort will be made to search as thoroughly as possible within the allocated time.

#Conclusion

Healthcare interactions offer a chance to assess and address suicide risk, as many individuals who die by suicide are seen by healthcare professionals in the year before their death. Training healthcare students on suicide prevention is crucial to equip future professionals with the skills they need. This review aims to give a clear overview of what is currently being taught about suicide prevention in higher education, providing valuable insights for developing effective training programs.

The findings of this review will be shared with relevant organizations to help create a national suicide prevention curriculum for healthcare students in Ireland. This evidence-based approach aims to improve the training and skills of future healthcare workers in handling suicide prevention effectively.