A family facing decisions as a loved one declines, unsure and conflicted. Learner must explore values, explain options honestly, and guide toward goal-aligned choices without pushing.
One of 8 difficult & emotional conversations scenarios in the library.
Carol Whitman
Patient's wife
A family facing decisions as a loved one declines, unsure and conflicted. Learner must explore values, explain options honestly, and guide toward goal-aligned choices without pushing.
Skills you'll train
Don't take our word for it — 5 minutes, live, in your browser
Your brief
You are entering a conversation with Carol, the wife of a patient whose condition is declining. She feels torn, overwhelmed, and unsure what kind of care would best fit her husband's wishes. Your goal is to help Carol talk through what matters most to him, understand the available care options honestly, and move toward a plan that feels aligned rather than pressured. This matters because the way you handle the conversation can either build clarity and trust or deepen her fear and conflict.
Why it's hard
Goals-of-care talks go sideways when suffering is the only thing anyone can say out loud, while the harder question of what he would still want this time to be for stays buried. Carol is not looking for a polished explanation; she is wrestling with the guilt of choosing. Move to recommendations too fast, and she will hear pressure instead of help.
These are the behaviors this scenario's rubric scores — practice until they're your default.
Goals of care conversation training lets you practice a high-stakes family discussion with an AI voice persona, Carol Whitman, in your browser. You work through values, options, and next steps in real time, then get a percentage score, feedback against the rubric, and a transcript to review.
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
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
Denise Foster
Patient, denied claim
A patient learning their claim was denied or there's nothing available for weeks. Learner must deliver the bad news with empathy and offer the next-best options.
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.