Virtual Voices: Navigating Suicide Prevention Through Simulation

This activity provides an authentic learning opportunity in a safe environment for students to verify the correct approach when reacting to a person that is suicidal. The experience helps to connect theory to practice for upcoming potential clinical interactions.

Students watch an online crisis intervention simulation game together and answer the embedded questions after group discussion and class consensus. The teacher guides the students as needed and provides rationales to the answers accordingly. This concludes with a summary and debriefing session.

A virtual gaming simulation used collaboratively in a classroom is an activity that uses:

• Experiential Learning (Kolb’s Model) as learners engage in concrete experiences, reflect on them, and apply insights through active experimentation.
• Constructivism when students actively build knowledge by interacting with scenarios, making decisions, and discussing outcomes. The educator acts as a facilitator, guiding reflection and deeper understanding rather than delivering content directly.
• Collaborative Learning when students work together on the simulation, sharing insights and strategies. This promotes peer-to-peer teaching and social learning.
• Problem-Based Learning (PBL) by facing realistic challenges (e.g., suicide risk assessment) and then applying appropriate knowledge to solve them. This encourages critical thinking and clinical reasoning.
• Simulation-Based Learning which offers immersive experiences that mimic real-life scenarios.
• Post-Simulation Debriefing & Reflection which allow learners to process decisions, emotions, and outcomes which deepens understanding and links theory to practice.

This activity can take place in a classroom setting or an online class and would take 60-90 minutes to complete. It would be one of the first classes in a mental health course after base topics such as therapeutic communication and the therapeutic nurse-patient relationship are explored. Students are to complete associated readings on suicide and self-harming behaviours prior to this experience.

Simulation includes: Instructions on How to Play, Self-Debrief (Instructions & Reflection Questions), Educator Guides, Crisis Resources and more.

Modality: in-class OR online.

Useful Technologies: For projection to an entire class a SMART screen is recommended although students could participate and follow along by using their own computers.

Citation to others: The online resources were developed and created by:
https://games.de.torontomu.ca/hospital/credits.html

Students will be able to:

• Apply best practices to assess the risk of suicide.
• Identify the best evidence-based techniques and skills needed to work with a suicidal client.
• Demonstrate appropriate methods of action to ensure client safety.
• Identify the principles of the therapeutic nurse-client relationship.
• Apply  essential components of therapeutic communication.
• Demonstrate the use of effective therapeutic communication techniques.