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QPR
Oct 19, 2016 20:56:09 GMT
Post by Megan Mikesell on Oct 19, 2016 20:56:09 GMT
I wanted to talk about QPR training. This is something I have completed twice, once as an undergraduate at TTU and once as a medical student as a mandatory event. I liked the comment about making a depression/suicide screen mandatory at entry into college or graduate program, just like Alcohol EDU is. I think an online QPR training combined with questionnaire screening would be beneficial. Even if they did not contact student they felt were at risk, even though this would be a good idea, student could at least be told about resources available to them. I can't remember what was available as an undergrad, but I know in med school we get a certain number of free counseling sessions if we need them. This training would teach students to be aware of warning signs in those around them and give them places to go and numbers to call if they feel they need them.
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QPR
Oct 23, 2016 20:11:56 GMT
Post by Lex Hurley on Oct 23, 2016 20:11:56 GMT
Wow, I feel bad. I had never heard of QPR training before your post and had to look up their website. I absolutely agree that this should be a mandatory training for every incoming student much like the alcohol and tobacco awareness programs I've taken at/for universities. It would be greatly beneficial for, well everyone, to go through these in order to be aware of not only the signs and symptoms of depressive or suicidal behavior in themselves or others and especially to be aware of local mental health resources in their communities (both paid and unpaid). Though the worst part about this current QPR arrangement is that for me to take the test on my own, it will cost me $30 -- I suppose I'll stick with free educational sources in the meantime until a school or employer will sponsor this for me. www.qprinstitute.com/individual-training |
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QPR
Oct 24, 2016 2:14:35 GMT
Post by ghannaba on Oct 24, 2016 2:14:35 GMT
Megan,
You bring up a great point. These are easy frontline measures that can easily equip more people in public with some skills at least and most importantly awareness. Given that second piece alone, I think as our speak mentioned, normalizing our familiarity with risk signs and prevention measures as a public health initiative through our universities would help also reduce the stigma and potentially contribute to saving lives perhaps. An unfortunate truth may be that students may take it not very seriously as I have heard a number of people comment about it. At least some people would perhaps take it seriously and would equip people who otherwise wouldn't even consider taking a course in QPR.
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QPR
Oct 24, 2016 17:58:14 GMT
Post by Summre Blakely on Oct 24, 2016 17:58:14 GMT
I took QPR training as a junior undergrad student at TTU. One thing I will say is that TTU definitely provided many mental health resources for their students. Not only were we offered two free massages each year, but we also had access to a quiet mind spa room where we could relax and collect our thoughts. Also, free counseling was provided if needed. I found that QPR training opened my eyes to the issue of suicide and taught me that it is not as intimidating to discuss as one might think. I think QPR training or something like it should definitely be made more available to students around the world, but I do think that it should be expanded to high school students as well. This year, I have personally known two people, one of which was very close to me, who have committed suicide. One was a student at my old high school, and even though he was being cyberbullied for a long time, no one sought out to help him. This is not due to a lack of caring, but a lack of education. Teenagers are committing suicide younger and younger, and while teachers are educated in the matter, the students especially should be. Students know what is really going on behind the scenes, whereas teachers might only know what is going on on the surface.
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