QPR Suicide Prevention Training Courses

The QPR for Physicians,Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners online training program provides two certificates. If you are a psychiatric nurse practitioner the QPRT course listed here is most appropriate since it includes the integration of the risk assessment into the treatment plan for which you are likely responsible.

The basic QPR Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention requires approximately 60 to 90 minutes of training, and includes how to screen for suicide risk. For many learners, this may be all that is desired or required.

To learn how to conduct a brief suicide risk assessment and gain foundational knowledge about suicide and its prevention requires additional training hours. If the final exam is over this longer training module is passed, the QPR Certificate in Suicide Prevention is awarded. This is a national clinical knowledge exam.

From minimum gatekeeper training, participants should be able to:

• Understand suicide as a major public health problem
• Understand the common myths and facts surrounding suicide
• Identify unique verbal, behavioral, and situational suicide warning signs
• Know how to engage and assist a suicidal colleague, family member, employee, co-worker or patient
• Conduct a screening interview for suicide risk

From the longer certificate program, participants should be able to:

• Know how to inquire about suicidal intent and desire
• Know how to inquire about capacity for suicide and self-injurious behavior
• Recognize at least three suicide warning signs
• Recognize at least three risk factors for suicide
• Recognize at least three protective factors against suicide
• Demonstrate increased knowledge, skills,self-efficacy and intent to act to intervene with suicidal people and patients
• Engage in an interactive and helpful conversation with someone who has attempted suicide
• Engage in an interactive and helpful conversation with the loved ones or family members of someone who has died by suicide
• Know the difference between "known at risk" patients and "unknown at risk" patients
• Know how to conduct a brief triage assessment of acute suicide risk
• Describe "means restriction" and identify individual characteristics and environmental features that may increase or decrease the risk for suicide, including in the hospital
• Address immediate patient safety needs and determine the most appropriate setting for care
• Know what crisis materials, phone numbers, and family information to provide when the patient leaves the hospital or point of care site
• Be familiar with "hand off" procedures to alert other staff of patients at risk for suicide
• Describe the US National Strategy for Suicide Prevention
• Understand the nature of suicide and describe at least one theory of suicidal behavior
• Describe and locate major suicide prevention web sites and online resources
• Demonstrate increased knowledge about suicide and its causes
• Describe clinical groups at high risk for suicide
• Describe how and why "suicide proofing" an inpatient room and ward may prevent adverse events (optional)
• Describe the relationship of mental illness and substance abuse to suicide and understand the fundamentals of our current knowledge about suicide and its prevention
• Pass a nationally standardized exam demonstrating fundamental knowledge about suicide, its causes, and the current status of suicide prevention in America