The study will advance Nursing science by addressing an important area of emphasis within Nursing science and a key component of the National Institute of Nursing Research's strategic plan. One fifth of deaths in America occur in intensive care units and nurses provide a key component of the care in this setting. With the aging population and coincident advances in medical technology, more patients are likely to die after an unsuccessful trial of intensive care. Prior research suggests that interventions to improve communication about end-of-life care in the ICU may reduce the prolongation of dying that is common in the ICU setting while at the same time improving the quality of care for patients and family members. Unfortunately, this prior research does not provide a clear generalizable intervention that can be easily implemented in academic and community hospitals. The proposed randomized trial will test a feasible and generalizable intervention to improve communication about end-of-life care and improve patient and family outcomes.