Other · 2026
Training nurses to support psilocybin sessions: modest gains in relational skills
- Original title
- Evaluation of a facilitator training program in a randomized controlled trial of psilocybin treatment for depression.
- Authors
- Morel NS, Stenbaek DS, Lundberg J, et al.
- Journal
- BMC medical education, 2026
- Molecules
- Psilocybin
- Conditions
- Depression
- Participants
- 9
- Evidence grade
- Very low
- Source
- Read the original paper
The question
Can a structured training program prepare nurses to act as facilitators — the people who provide preparation and support around psilocybin dosing — in a clinical trial for depression?
What they did
Nine nurses completed a 15-week training program combining online and in-person sessions. They were being prepared to work as facilitators in an ongoing randomized trial of psilocybin for depression in people with life-threatening illness. The researchers collected the nurses’ own views on the training, and also rated recorded standardized role-plays before and after training using a scoring system for relational communication skills (the Motivational Interviewing Treatment Integrity code, version 4.2).
What they found
The nurses felt the online and on-site sessions helped them build knowledge and skills, but most said more hands-on, in-person practice would have been needed before they felt adequately prepared. In the role-play ratings, only 1 of 12 skill measures improved to a statistically significant degree, though 6 of the measures showed medium to large effect sizes from before to after training. The authors concluded the training showed potential but the effects were modest and seen only in role-play.
The fine print
Only nine trainees took part, with no control group and no comparison training model, so improvement cannot be firmly attributed to the program. Skills were measured in simulated role-plays, not in real sessions with patients, and no patient outcomes were reported. Testing 12 separate measures in such a small group makes both positive and null findings uncertain. This summary is based on the abstract only.
What it means
How psilocybin trial facilitators should be trained and qualified is still an open question; this small evaluation suggests a short blended course produced only limited measurable skill gains and left trainees wanting more practical experience.
Evidence grade: Very low. A small before-and-after evaluation of nine trainees with no comparison group, measuring role-play performance rather than patient outcomes.
This summary is based on the study’s published abstract.