title: The effects of the Gatekeeper Suicide-Awareness Program for nursing personnel.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluates whether a short training program can improve nurses' abilities to recognize and effectively respond to patients exhibiting suicidal behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study is a randomized controlled trial. Ninety-eight nurses in the experimental group attended the regular monthly continuing education class and a 90-min Gatekeeper Suicide-Awareness Program. Ninety-seven nurses in the control group only attended the regular monthly continuing education class. Before and after the different educational interventions, all the nurses were asked to complete a questionnaire to link demographic data and to access their awareness of suicide warning signs and their responses if encountering a potentially suicidal individual.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nurses who participated in the Gatekeeper Suicide-Awareness Program were much more aware of suicide warning signs and more willing to refer patients for professional counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that nursing personnel's continuing education include a training program for suicide prevention.
authors.affiliation: Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wen-Pei
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Long-Yau
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Hui-Chin
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Li-Shiuan
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Ming-Chih
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Chou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention