This virtual patient aims to help you develop your consultation skills when assessing someone following an episode of self harm. The aim is for you to conduct an assessment of a patient who has harmed themselves in a concisely and compassionately.
Using the Virtual Patient
After watching each clip, click on one of the three question options to select what to ask next, or select to end the consultation. On ending the consultation you will receive feedback.
You can complete the consultation as many times as you like. Your progress on the virtual patient will not be recorded. The feedback you receive on completing the consultation is for your information only. If you refresh the page, the scenario will restart and your progress or any feedback will disappear.
The Scenario
You are assessing Miss Smith in the emergency department. From the ED notes you can see that she is a 26 year old woman who has taken a paracetamol overdose. Her four hour paracetamol level is below the treatment line.
Use the virtual patient to conduct a consultation with Miss Smith, focusing on conducting a psychosocial assessment and assessing her risk of future self harm or suicide, in order to inform your management plan. You may wish to take notes. Use the information you gather to document your risk assessment and discuss how you would manage this patient with colleagues or during your psychiatric placement.
Your Wellbeing
This virtual patient encounter contains information about self harm and suicide. Please consider this when choosing when to complete it. If you find it upsetting speak to friends or family about this. If you feel you need more guided support the university website details services which you may find helpful (https://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/).
If you have concerns about another student, please discuss these with a member of staff or see the university website for further guidance (https://www.bristol.ac.uk/students/wellbeing/help-someone/).