A family equating hospice with 'giving up' and refusing to discuss it. Learner must reframe hospice as comfort and support, address fears, and meet resistance with patience.
One of 13 difficult & emotional conversations scenarios in the library.
AI roleplay scenario · Hospice
Robert Ellison · Patient's brother
“I’m not ready to talk about hospice; that sounds like giving up on my sister. We need to keep fighting for her.”
You are entering a difficult conversation with Robert Ellison, a patient’s brother who believes hospice means giving up on his sister.
Skills you'll train
Your brief
You are entering a difficult conversation with Robert Ellison, a patient’s brother who believes hospice means giving up on his sister. Help him feel heard, address the fears beneath his resistance, and clarify hospice as a source of comfort and family support. Aim to build enough understanding and trust for Robert to consider a next conversation about his sister’s care.
Why it's hard
Robert isn't debating a service; he's defending his sister from what he hears as abandonment. If you push facts too soon, “hospice” becomes proof that the team has stopped fighting, and his anger hardens into mistrust.
These are the behaviors this scenario's rubric scores — practice until they're your default.
Hospice family resistance training is practice for conversations where a relative hears hospice as giving up and pushes back. In this voice AI scenario, you speak with Robert Ellison, the patient’s brother, and get a percentage score based on how well you acknowledge fear, reframe hospice, and move toward a next step.
Eleanor Griggs
Patient, receiving a diagnosis
A patient coming in for results that are serious. Learner must walk the SPIKES arc — set up the conversation, check what she already suspects, deliver the news plainly, hold the emotion, and agree on next steps — without hiding behind jargon.
Skills you'll train
James Porter
Patient's son
A family who must hear their loved one is declining or near death. Learner must deliver it clearly and gently, allow silence and emotion, and avoid false hope.
Skills you'll train
Susan Brennan
Resident's daughter
A family member who must hear their loved one declined or had an incident. The AI reacts with worry, guilt, or anger. Learner must deliver it clearly and compassionately and answer honestly.
Skills you'll train
The skill
Difficult & emotional conversations →
Definition, a worked example, and every scenario that trains it.
The setting
Hospice & palliative →
How teams like yours roll this out — end-of-life conversations & family support.
Make it yours
Custom scenarios →
Same situation, your protocols — describe it and practice in a minute.
Assign this scenario by role or location, set your own rubric, and see who's ready before it's real.