Leading Complex Goals of Care Conversations: Expanding the Role of Social Work with the PERSON Mnemonic

High quality goals-of-care conversations are essential to aligning treatment with what matters most to patients living with serious and life-limiting illness. It introduces the PERSON mnemonic (Perception, Explore, Relate, Sources of worry, Outline, Notify) as a practical, teachable tool for structuring complex goals-of-care discussions that surface values, hopes, and worries while translating them into clear next steps. 

The class emphasizes how social workers’ skills in biopsychosocial-spiritual assessment, communication, and family systems uniquely position them to lead these conversations and expand their role beyond being seen only as providers of “emotional support”—a label that, while valuable, is frequently minimized or not viewed as clinically credible. Participants will learn how to apply PERSON step by step, practice language they can use at the bedside, and strengthen their ability to navigate uncertainty, emotion, and conflict. By situating PERSON as a tool that highlights social work’s clinical expertise, the course supports participants in recognizing their leadership potential and advancing their role within interdisciplinary teams.

Meghan Murphy is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and MSW alum of Fordham University. Her career is dedicated to advancing equitable access to palliative care and providing psychotherapy for adults and couples. Her doctoral research examines systemic barriers to care and the development of sustainable models that integrate physical and mental health. With over a decade of experience in health social work, she has led quality improvement initiatives, served on hospital ethics committees, developed opioid task force protocols, and taught clinicians nationwide how to navigate complex goals-of-care discussions.

In her private practice, she provides psychotherapy for adults and couples, with expertise in supporting LGBTQ+ individuals and those living with serious illness. She also serves as Clinical Supervisor for Strength in Service, a nonprofit supporting military service members, veterans, and their families.

Continuing Education Hours

Completion of this class will result in the receipt of two (2) continuing education hours. CEHs are not awarded for partial completion of the class.

You will receive the Zoom link for joining the class by the day before the class. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE LINK BY THIS TIME, PLEASE CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER. 

You will need a computer and a reliable WiFi connection. The computer may be a desktop or a laptop. It may be an Apple or Windows computer.

If you have never used Zoom before, you will likely be prompted to download an applet, which is a small program that allows Zoom to communicate with your computer. This is safe and you will need to do this to join the class.

It is NOT advised that you participate using a table (e.g., an iPad) or a cellular phone. The software is not optimized for these devices.

Please plan to join the online class 15 minutes before the start time to be sure that you don’t have any problems connecting. We cannot provide technical support to you and refunds won’t be offered if you have technical problems. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please contact us at [email protected] at least a few days before the class.