Using Simulation to help health professions Students learn to talk to clients about suicide

Relevance Approximately 800,000 people worldwide (ten out of every 100,000) commit suicide every year, making it the 17th leading cause of death in 2019 (World Health Organization [WHO], 2022). It is estimated that for each completed suicide, more than 20 attempts occur (Olfson et al., 2017). Given such a high incidence, it is very likely that students in health and welfare education will interact with clients who have suicidal thoughts. Healthcare speciality students are educated about the theories of suicide risk assessment and corresponding professional interventions; however, practical training in the needed communication skills is generally lacking (Hagen et al., 2017). Simulation training allows students to practice in a safe, authentic environment in which they are encouraged to learn from mistakes (Palominos et al., 2019). The authors developed an interdisciplinary simulation training to empower students during their first conversations with clients who struggle with suicidal thoughts. We produced a video showing best practices to address students’ feelings of uncertainty, such as fear of making mistakes, which is strongly present among students (Palominos et al., 2019). Keywords: Suicide; suicide prevention; simulation education; healthcare professions students; nursing students.