Mastering Tough Conversations: Vital Talk Communication Workshop 2026

November 20, 2026

Providing high quality and compassionate medical care to seriously ill patients and their families requires clinicians to communicate medical information clearly, respond to emotion with empathy, effectively elicit patients values and develop clear and goal concordant care plans. The Institute of Medicine, concluded in 2015 report Dying in America that communication training was a critical- and missing- element to improving the experience of patients with serious illness and their families. In addition, many clinicians who work with patients with serious illness report feeling ill equipped to have these important conversations.

VitalTalk’s Mastering Tough Conversations is a communication training for clinicians who work with patients and families with serious illness. VitalTalk is an international program that relies on evidence-based methods and educational theory to effectively teach clinicians communication skills. Clinicians who have completed this training master skills that make them feel more prepared to have these difficult conversations. In addition, these skillful conversations make a difference to patients and their families.

This half-day communication training teaches clinicians a framework and skills to guide goals of care conversations. After an introduction to a framework and several important skills, there is deliberate time spent practicing the learned communication skills with actors in small groups.

Target Audience

Clinicians who care for seriously ill patients including: Attending Physicians, Psychologists. Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Social Workers, and Child Life Specialists.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity participants will be able to:

Describe a framework- to discuss goals of care with seriously ill patients/families
Share medical information and prognosis clearly
Respond to emotions during difficult conversations
Elicit values and preferences
Create a plan of care that aligns with those values and preferences

Contact Information:

For questions regarding this course please contact Juliana O'Brien, MSN, FNP BC | Juliana.O'[email protected]
For CME/CE questions contact, Betsy Lee at [email protected]

Additional Information

Attachment	Size
Course Handouts REMAP-NURSE-VALUES.pdf	238.87 KB

Course summary

Available credit:

4.00 AAPA Category I CME
Nemours Children’s Health has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria.  This activity is designated for a maximum of 4.00 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Physician Associates should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
4.00 MOC ABS – Surgery
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME requirements of the American Board of Surgery’s Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
4.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Nemours Children’s Health designates this activity for a maximum of 4.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
4.00 ANCC Nursing Contact Hour
In support of improving patient care, Nemours Children’s Health is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.

Nemours Children’s Health designates this live activity for a maximum of 4.00 contact hours for nurses. Nurses should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
4.00 American Psychology Association Continuing Education (CE) Credits
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
4.00 Continuing Education
This activity is designated for 4.00 continuing education credits.
- 4.00 Approved for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
4.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) Credit
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 4.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.

Course opens:

07/01/2026

Course expires:

12/31/2026

Event starts:

11/20/2026 - 12:30pm EST

Event ends:

11/20/2026 - 5:00pm EST

Cost:

$0.00

Add to calendar:

Agenda 11.20.2026 .docx

Rockland Center II

Conference Rooms 3311 and 3350

1600 Rockland Rd

Wilmington, DE

United States

There is parking adjacent to the Rockland II building, or you can park in the employee parking lot and walk across the street.

Click on the Speaker's Name to see their full bio:

Course Director(s)