Serious illness conversations are structured, compassionate discussions that help patients, chosen families, and care providers understand what matters most when facing a serious life-limiting illness. These conversations provide an opportunity to explore values, wishes, and preferences to ensure that the care provided aligns with the patient’s priorities. By having these discussions early and often with patients and their chosen families, health care providers can support informed decision-making, reduce uncertainty, and improve the quality of life for patients and their chosen families.

You will find numerous resources to help guide serious illness conversations, including conversation frameworks, question prompts, and tools to support clear, compassionate communication in this section. These resources are designed to help health care providers feel more confident in facilitating meaningful discussions that honor each person’s goals, values, and wishes.

The Goals of Care Nova Scotia Health Library Guide is a valuable resource designed to assist healthcare providers in facilitating meaningful conversations with patients’ overall priorities and expectations for health care and perception of quality of life. 

• It offers resources to support discussion and documentation of the patients' values, beliefs, and desired levels of intervention, ensuring that medical care aligns with their goals.  
• The guide includes practical tools and language with examples that support clear and compassionate communication, helping to create personalized plans that reflect what matters most to the patient. 

The Conversations about Serious Illness Nova Scotia Health Library Guide is a comprehensive tool designed to help health care providers engage in sensitive discussions with patients and their chosen family when facing serious illness.  

• It provides several resources, including how to set up a serious illness conversation, assess patient understanding, preferences, share prognosis, and explore key topics. 
• The guide also offers evidence-based tools with patient-tested language to ensure clear and compassionate communication that aligns care with the patient's goals, values, and wishes.