Serious Illness Conversations in Critical Care: A Skills-Based Workshop
Conversations about serious illness are among the most challenging — and most important — moments in critical care. Whether discussing prognosis, exploring goals of care, or supporting families through difficult decisions, skilled communication is essential to patient-centred care.
Join us for an interactive, skills-based workshop designed to provide healthcare professionals with practical, evidence-based communication strategies through expert facilitation, realistic case discussions, and hands-on practice.
Workshop Details
Time: 1:00–5:00 PM
Location: The Conversation Lab, 522 University Avenue, Toronto, ON
Specific rooms to be confirmed
Date: Saturday, November 21, 2026
Course Directors: Amanda Roze, Sarah Andersen, Maria Jogova, Warren Lewin
Agenda
1:00 PM – Welcome and introductions
1:15 PM – Skills presentation
2:00 PM – Small group start-up
2:15 PM – Skills practice 1
3:15 PM – Break
3:30 PM – Skills practice 2
4:30 PM – Small group reflections and close
4:45 PM – Large group recap and Q&A
5:00 PM – Close
The educational program is supported, in part, by The Conversation Lab at UHN and taught by certified VitalTalk faculty.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Communicate serious information with empathy and clarity.
- Discuss prognosis and goals of care with confidence.
- Support shared decision-making through patient-centred communication.
Participants will gain practical techniques they can apply immediately to improve patient and family experiences, support shared decision-making, and navigate difficult conversations with greater confidence.
Register Here
