Care That Reflects What Matters Most

Learn how to recognize the right time, use practical communication skills, and support care aligned with patient goals and values.  

These Conversations Often Happen Too Late -- Or Not at All

Clinicians recognize the importance of serious illness conversations, yet may feel unprepared to initiate them.  Without a clear approach, conversations may be delayed or avoided. 

A Practical Approach to Serious Illness Conversations

This training provides a structured, practical approach to serious illness conversations--focusing on timing, communication and real-world application. Participants will learn how to:        • Recognize when conversations are needed       • Use clear, compassionate communication strategies       • Apply a structured guide to support meaningful dialogue       • Integrate conversations into everyday clinical practice

Why These Conversations Matter

Serious illness conversations are essential to patient-centered care -- but they often happen too late or not at all. Clinicians frequently recognize the need for these discussions, yet report feeling uncertain about when to initiate them, how to navigate them, or what language to use. Without these conversations, care can become misaligned with what patients truly want. 

About the Course

This training introduces clinicians to the principles and practices of serious illness conversations, with a focus on timing, communication and patient-centered care. Through five structured modules, participants will learn how to recognize when conversations are needed, apply practical communication skills, and support care that aligns with what matters most to patients and families. Each module is designed to support both learning and application in clinical practice.  

Course Modules

Module 1:  The Case for Earlier Conversations Module 2:  Identifying Patients for Conversations Module 3:  Core Communication Skills Module 4:  Using a Structured Conversation Guide Module 5:  Integrating Conversations into Practice

Who This Course Is For

• Nurses in case management, ambulatory, or inpatient settings • Social workers supporting patients with complex or serious illness • Care coordinators and population health professionals • Clinicians seeking to improve communication and patient alignment

A Different Approach

This training is not focused on forms or documentation.  It is focused on improving how we communicate with patients facing serious illness—so that care decisions reflect what matters most to them over time.

Why This Training Matters

Serious illness conversations are essential to ensuring that care reflects a patient’s values, priorities, and goals.

Earlier Conversations

Too often, these conversations occur late—during times of crisis—when patients may no longer be able to fully participate.  This training focuses on building the skills and awareness needed to initiate these conversations earlier and more effectively.

Curriculum

8 Chapters · 33 Lessons

  1. 1

    Course Introduction

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome to the Training

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Introduction Video

  2. 2

    Module 1 - The Case for Earlier Conversations

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video: The Case for Serious Illness Conversations

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 1: Knowledge Check

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 1: Quiz Questions

  3. 3

    Module 2- Early Identification

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 1: Recognizing the Need for Earlier Conversations

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 2: Identifying Patients in Clinical Practice

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 3: Applying Identification to Real Cases

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 2: Knowledge Check

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 2: Quiz Questions

  4. 4

    Module 3- Communication Skills

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 1: Foundations of Communication

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 2: Core Communication Skills

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Video 3: Application

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 3: Knowledge Check

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 3: Quiz Questions

  5. 5

    Module 4 - Structured Conversation Guide

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video: Using the Conversation Guide

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Video: Watch: A Serious Illness Conversation

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 4: Knowledge Check

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 4: Quiz Questions

  6. 6

    Module 5 - Integration to Practice

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Video: Application to Practice

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 5: Knowledge Check

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Module 5: Quiz

  7. 7

    Resources

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Structured Communication Guide

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Setting Health Care Goals Veteran's Administration Booklet on LST

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Empathatic Responses Handout

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      What Matters to Me

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      PREPARE Program

  8. 8

    Course Feedback and Evaluation

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Course Feedback and Evaluation Survey

Mary Beth Billie, DNP, RN-BC, CCM

Mary Beth Billie, DNP, RN-BC, CCM is a doctorly prepared nurse leader and educator specializing in serious illness communication and population health. She is the creator and lead faculty for the Serious Illness Conversations Training Program, which integrates the evidence-based structured communication guide developed by Ariadne Labs. Her work in serious illness communication began as part of her doctoral capstone, where she designed and implemented a Serious Illness Conversation Program within a clinical setting. Since then, she has trained more than 1,000 nurses, social workers, and physicians across healthcare organizations. Mary Beth’s work focuses on helping clinicians deliver care that reflects what matters most to patients—through earlier, more effective conversations that support alignment, continuity, and patient-centered decision-making.

What Clinicians Are Saying

Testimonials build trust — fast. Edit this section to show how your product is making a difference and help your audience purchase with confidence.

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“A shared language for our team.  We’re now more aligned across disciplines in how we support patients."
Anna W.

Social Worker, LCSW

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 “Unlike other trainings, this was immediately applicable to my daily practice. I started using the approach the very next day with my patients.”
John S. 

RN Case Manager

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