This program equips health care professionals with the skills to have compassionate and effective conversations with patients, families, and caregivers facing serious illness. By focusing on person-centered values, goals, and wishes, these conversations help reduce confusion and ensure that care decisions align with what matters most to the individual. The training includes a self-learning module and a facilitated session, guiding professionals in the use of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide developed by Ariadne Labs and Pallium Canada.
Canadian Serious Illness Conversations
- Designed to provide health care professionals with the tools and knowledge needed to have compassionate and effective conversations with patients, families, and caregivers who are dealing with a serious illness
- Effective conversations between clinicians and individuals about values, goals and wishes in regards to health care treatment ease confusion and fear while ensuring decisions reflect what is most important to the individual
- Research shows that timely, person-centered serious illness conversations and care planning improve the care experience for both the clinician and the individual and their family/caregivers
- Provides a comprehensive understanding for healthcare professionals of the use and application of the Serious Illness Conversation Guide, developed by Ariadne Labs of Harvard Medical School and hosted through Pallium Canada
- Contains 2 parts: an online self-learning module (approximately 1.5-2 hours) and a 2 hour facilitated session led by certified facilitators to practice and refine the use of the guide through role-playing exercises
- Appropriate for any health care professional (MD, NP, SW, RN/RPN) who wants to use the guide to improve their ability to engage in meaningful and compassionate conversations
Free
Upcoming offerings listed below. For details on how to register please visit the registration section.
| Course # | Registration Opens | Registration Deadline | Date | Time |
| 1 | March 26 2026 | May 22 2026 | May 29 2026 | 9am-11am |
| 2 | July 10 2026 | September 4 2026 | September 11 2026 | 9am-11am |
| 3 | November 26 2026 | January 22 2027 | January 29 2027 | 9am-11am |
| 4 | January 21 2027 | March 19 2027 | March 26 2027 | 9am-11am |
How to register:
- Login or create your Pallium Central account at pallium.ca
- Select I have an Enrolment Key (yellow key icon)
- Enter the following enrolment key according to the course options below:
- Spring 2026: NSMMay2026
- Fall 2026: Opens July 10th, 2026
- Winter 2027: Opens Jan. 21st, 2027
- Select Go to Course
How to access your course materials:
- Login to your Pallium Central account at pallium.ca
- Select My Courses and then select the Course Work button on the right side of your course name
- Complete the Letter of Information for Research Data Collection to access the pre-course activities, online self-learning modules and required resources
For more information or for assistance with the registration process please contact Lori Gill using the button below: