Effectiveness of a virtual patient simulation training on improving provider engagement in suicide safer care.

BACKGROUND: Health care providers have a critical opportunity to mitigate the public health problem of suicide. Virtual patient simulations (VPS) allow providers to learn and practice evidence-based suicide prevention practices in a realistic and risk-free environment. The purpose of this study was to test whether receiving VPS training increases the likelihood that providers will engage in effective suicide safer care practices. METHODS: Behavioral health and non-behavioral health providers (N = 19) at a Federally Qualified Health Center who work with patients at risk for suicide received the VPS training on risk assessment, safety planning, and motivation to engage in treatment. Providers' electronic health records were compared 6 months pre- and post-VPS training on their engagement in suicide safer care practices of screening, assessment, safety planning, and adding suicide ideation to the problem list. RESULTS: Most behavioral health providers were already engaging in evidence-based suicide prevention care prior to the VPS training. Findings demonstrated the VPS training may impact the likelihood that non-behavioral health providers engage in suicide safer care practices. CONCLUSION: VPS training in evidence-based suicide prevention practices can optimize and elevate all health care providers' skills in suicide care regardless of role and responsibility, demonstrating the potential to directly impact patient outcomes.

Dedicated education unit: nurse perspectives on their clinical teaching role.

AIM: The study compared the perceptions of nurses who participated in the clinical education of students using traditional and dedicated education unit (DEU) models. BACKGROUND: In the traditional model, faculty are the primary clinical instructors for students. In a DEU, nurses provide clinical instruction with faculty support. METHOD: This mixed-methods study used surveys and interviews. RESULTS: Compared to nurses on traditional units, DEU nurses were more likely to agree that their unit welcomed students, had a strong commitment to teaching, and received professional development from clinical faculty. The nurses rated the learning gains of students as greater on DEUs than traditional units and viewed the leadership of the nurse manager and the quality of patient care as similar. CONCLUSION: The study provides evidence that, from the nurses' perspective, the DEU faculty-nurse partnership provides students with superior clinical education experiences and may improve nurse work satisfaction.

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

AIM: The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. BACKGROUND: Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. METHOD: This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. RESULTS: Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. CONCLUSION: These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Randomized, Controlled Trial of a Comprehensive Program for Young Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

This randomized, controlled trial, comparing the Comprehensive Autism Program (CAP) and business as usual programs, studied outcomes for 3-5 year old students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Participants included 84 teachers and 302 students with ASD and their parents. CAP utilized specialized curricula and training components to implement specific evidence-based practices both at school and home. A comprehensive set of outcome areas was studied. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to estimate the treatment impact. CAP had small positive impacts on the students' receptive language (effect size of .13) and on their social skills as rated by teachers (effect size of .19). Treatment effects were moderated by severity of ASD.