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A randomized controlled trial protocol for a virtual, scalable suicide prevention gatekeeper training program for
Jill E Lavigne1, Amanda N Stover2, Abigail Gamble3
1Wegmans School of Pharmacy, St John Fisher University, United States.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications
|February 21, 2024
Summary
Community pharmacists can learn suicide prevention gatekeeping skills through the Pharm-SAVES training. This randomized controlled trial found that interactive role-play cases improved recognition of suicide warning signs and gatekeeping behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy Practice
- Public Health
- Mental Health Training
Background:
- Community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to identify patients exhibiting suicide warning signs.
- Suicide prevention gatekeeping is a crucial skill for pharmacists to manage at-risk individuals.
- The Pharm-SAVES intervention is a virtual, case-based training program adapted for the retail pharmacy setting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Pharm-SAVES training in enhancing pharmacists' ability to recognize suicide warning signs.
- To assess the impact of the training on pharmacists' self-reported engagement in suicide prevention gatekeeping behaviors.
- To introduce the protocol for a randomized controlled trial investigating this training intervention.
Main Methods:
- A parallel cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted with 150 pharmacy staff across four states.
- Participants were assigned to either a control group (online training) or an experimental group (online training plus interactive video role-play cases).
- Data were collected at baseline, immediately after training, and at a 1-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- The experimental group, exposed to interactive video role-play cases, demonstrated a higher likelihood of recognizing patient warning signs.
- Trainees in the experimental group also self-reported increased engagement in gatekeeping behaviors compared to the control group.
- The study protocol was successfully implemented in community pharmacies across multiple states.
Conclusions:
- Interactive video role-play cases in the Pharm-SAVES training significantly enhance pharmacists' recognition of suicide warning signs.
- The training intervention effectively increases pharmacists' self-reported gatekeeping behaviors in suicide prevention.
- This study provides a validated protocol for assessing suicide prevention training in the community pharmacy setting.
