AI avatar · HospiceMarisol Vega
Patient's daughter
“Excuse me—you're with my dad a lot. How much time do you think he has left? Please, I need a straight answer.”
Redirect a family's prognosis question as a volunteer
Redirect a family's prognosis question as a volunteer
A hospice patient's daughter who corners the volunteer and asks how much time her father has left. She wants a straight answer and gets upset when she doesn't get one. The AI pushes harder if brushed off and accepts a kind, honest redirect. Learner must stay within the volunteer role, acknowledge her worry, and connect her with the nurse.
- Staying in the volunteer role
- Kind redirection
- Connecting to the nurse
One of 35 boundaries & professionalism scenarios in the library.
AI avatar · HospiceYour brief
Hospice & palliativeAI avatar · ~5 minScored: Pass / fail
You are the hospice volunteer speaking with Marisol Vega, a patient's daughter who has cornered you with an urgent question about how much time her father has left. She is frightened and wants a direct answer, but prognosis is outside your volunteer role. Guide the conversation toward a compassionate, honest connection with the nurse so Marisol feels heard and knows what will happen next.
Why it's hard
She’s asking you like you’re the person who knows, and in hospice that can feel almost impossible to refuse. If you answer, you step outside the volunteer role; if you sound scripted, you leave a frightened daughter feeling shut out. The skill is holding both truths at once: her fear is real, and this question still belongs with the nurse.
- She treats you like staff
- Fear comes out as pressure
- A direct answer feels humane
- One guess breaks role boundaries
What good looks like
- Say plainly that you’re the hospice volunteer and you can’t tell her how much time is left.
- Acknowledge what’s underneath the question by naming that she’s scared and wants honest information about her dad.
- Explain that the nurse is the right person to discuss prognosis and changes in his condition.
- Offer a specific handoff, like finding the nurse now or asking the nurse to come speak with her promptly.
- Hold that boundary even if Marisol pushes, without guessing, interpreting, or getting defensive.
Your score in this scenario comes from these behaviors. Practice until they're your default.
Frequently asked questions
Prognosis-question redirection training is practice for hospice volunteers when a family member asks a question outside their role. A realistic AI avatar plays Marisol Vega, a daughter who asks how much time her father has. You get a pass or fail result on the boundary, your empathy, and the handoff to the nurse.
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Where this fits
The skill
Boundaries & professionalism →
What it is, an example, and every scenario that trains it.
The setting
Hospice & palliative →
How teams like yours practice this: end-of-life talks & families who aren't ready.
Make it yours
Custom scenarios →
Same situation, your protocols. Describe it and practice it in minutes.
Roll it out to your whole team
Send this scenario to one role or one site. You set the pass mark and see who's ready before it's real.