Desire to Die Communication Training for Professionals: Developing Online Formats

Severely ill patients often express a desire to die, which can turn into suicidality. To support health professionals in managing this issue, we initially created a two-day face-to-face training to enhance self-confidence, knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Due to the increasing need for more accessible formats, we aimed to transition this training online and develop a complementary website.

Multimethod approach to develop and evaluate an online training and a website on dealing with the desire to die in palliative care in Germany. This involved: (1) reviewing literature on effective didactic elements, (2) digitalizing the face-to-face training and creating the website with ongoing expert feedback, and (3) piloting and evaluating these resources through online surveys.

We retrieved suggestions for the development of online trainings and websites from n = 39 publications. Through these results and expert discussion, an online version of our training and a website were developed. For evaluation, we conducted two trainings (face-to-face (n = 8) and online (n = 19)) with multiprofessional participants. All improved significantly in self-confidence after the training without differences between online and face-to-face training. Website evaluation of usability, comprehension, information quality, presentation, and sustainability by n = 71 users yielded favorable feedback with improvement suggestions for structure and plain language.

Dealing with the desire to die can be taught not only face to face but also through online training and an educational website. This can ensure low-threshold access to scientifically sound information and training units for those health professionals confronted with the desire to die.