33rd Annual Healthcare Ethics Conference

April 10, 2026

This conference will explore how the words used in clinical settings influence discussion and decision-making. Choices made when discussing diagnoses, prognosis, and death influence decisions at the end of life. How responsibilities of decision-making regarding a loved-one’s care are presented to family members and surrogates influence what decisions they make. Language disguises or reveals the many meanings of hope. Word choice can escalate or de-escalate conflict. Descriptors used in medical records can follow patients for the rest of their lives. These topics will focus discussion of how language frames ethical issues and medical decisions.

Target Audience

Nurse
Nurse Practitioner
Physician
Physician Assistant
Psychologist
Social Worker

Learning Objectives

Following the conference, participants should be able to:
1. Employ strategies to reduce conflict both among clinicians and between clinicians and patients and family members;
2. Avoid use of stigmatizing language when describing patients and interactions with patients and family members that can impair delivery of appropriate care;
3. Appreciate and respond effectively to patients’ and families’ expressions of hope;
4. Employ narratives to convey complex medico-scientific information involving balancing or risks and potential benefits, probabilities, and weighing of personal and community benefit;
5. Communicate effectively about prognosis and quality of life considerations to avoid confusion and increase trust as patients near the end of their lives.

Course summary
Available credit: 
  • 6.25 AAPA Category I CME
  • 6.25 ACPE Pharmacy
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 6.25 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 6.25 APA
  • 6.25 ASWB
  • 6.25 Attendance
Course opens: 
02/12/2026
Course expires: 
04/24/2026
Event starts: 
04/10/2026 - 8:00am EDT
Event ends: 
04/10/2026 - 3:45pm EDT
Cost:
$1.00
Add to calendar: 

PDF icon Program Agenda

Passavant Hospital Foundation Conference Center
700 Cumberland Woods Drive
Allison Park, PA
United States

Faculty List:

Laura Guidry-Grimes, PhD
John “Jack” Rozel, MD, MSL
Michael Certo, MD, MA
Beth Hoffman, PhD
Michael DeVita, MD


In support of improving patient care, the University of Pittsburgh 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.

Physician (CME)
The University of Pittsburgh designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit[s]™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity

Nursing (CNE)
The maximum number of hours awarded for this Continuing Nursing Education activity is 6.25 contact hours.

Pharmacy (CPE)
This knowledge-based activity provides 6.25 contact hours of continuing pharmacy education credit. 

Physician Assistant (AAPA)
The University of Pittsburgh has been authorized by the American Academy of PAs (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 6.25 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.  

Social Work (ASWB)
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, the University of Pittsburgh is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 6.25 clinical continuing education credits 

Psychologist (APA)
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.
This activity is approved for 6.25 APA credits.

Other Healthcare Professionals: Other health care professionals will receive a certificate of attendance confirming the number of contact hours commensurate with the extent of participation in this activity. 

Available Credit

  • 6.25 AAPA Category I CME
  • 6.25 ACPE Pharmacy
    The UPMC Center for Continuing Education in the Health Sciences is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a Provider of continuing pharmacy education.
  • 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
    The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
  • 6.25 ANCC
    UPMC Provider Unit is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation
  • 6.25 APA
  • 6.25 ASWB
  • 6.25 Attendance

Price

Cost:
$1.00
Please login or register to take this course.

If necessary, please cancel by Wednesday, April 8, at noon by emailing Mia Spinelli @ [email protected].   

Contact Mia Spinelli ([email protected]) with questions, including about registration or disability accommodations.