A commentary on suicide prevention training: The process of implementing an ASIST pilot in postsecondary nursing education

This commentary provides an overview of existing literature on suicide and suicide prevention in the context of postsecondary and nursing settings. WHO (2022) reported that more than 50% of the medical workforce are made up of nurses and midwives who are in an optimal position to provide care for individuals who may be at risk for suicide. Suicide continues to be a major public health issue in Canada, with the postsecondary student population being at a heightened risk for mental health crises. A best practice for suicide prevention is education. Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) has been used and evaluated internationally by various institutions. We present a pilot project for the delivery of ASIST as both a co-curricular activity for nursing students and as professional development for faculty and staff. We include the process for implementing a pilot of ASIST within the postsecondary education setting, and an evaluation plan for the pilot project.& COPY; 2023 Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.