Clarify and Verify
Resolve important uncertainty and confirm critical information when needed.
American Clinical English
The language of safe clinical care.
ACE helps internationally educated healthcare professionals turn strong clinical knowledge and functional English into clear, effective communication in U.S. healthcare workplaces.
The communication challenge
Clinical expertise and English proficiency are not always enough.
Internationally educated healthcare professionals may arrive in the United States with strong training, professional experience, and functional English while still encountering communication challenges that are highly specific to the U.S. clinical workplace.
ACE focuses on the practical communication behaviors behind safe handoff, SBAR reporting, clarification, escalation, patient and family conversations, privacy, teamwork, and workplace coordination.
The ACE Communication Model
Two complementary structures. One practical goal.
The ACE Five provide a behavioral framework for uncertain, complex, or high-stakes interactions. Six competency domains organize instruction, practice, feedback, and assessment.
Report Significant Changes or Task Problems Promptly
Communicate deterioration, delays, task problems, or other important changes before they create larger problems.
Persist and Escalate When Necessary
Continue communication when an initial response does not adequately resolve a safety concern.
State Concerns and Limitations Clearly
Make safety concerns, uncertainty, workload limits, or lack of training explicit rather than relying on others to infer them.
Maintain Privacy and Professional Boundaries
Protect patient information and communicate within appropriate professional and privacy limits.
1
Clinical Expression
Clear, accurate transfer of clinically relevant meaning.
2
Clinical Organization & Relevance
Prioritization, concision, and structured communication such as SBAR.
3
Comprehension & Clarification
Accurate reception, recognition of uncertainty, clarification, and verification.
4
Safety Communication & Escalation
Concern, urgency, persistence, escalation, and safety closure.
5
Patient & Family Communication
Plain language, empathy, privacy, questioning, and confirmation of understanding.
6
Team & Workplace Communication
Instructions, assistance, limitations, coordination, and follow-through.
Assessment-based training
Practice the communication that actually happens at work.
ACE combines individualized instruction, realistic clinical simulation, repeated role-play, targeted feedback, and performance-based assessment.
01
Baseline
Identify current strengths and development priorities through realistic communication scenarios.
02
Individualized Instruction
Develop communication behaviors through modeling, structured practice, simulation, and coached repetition.
03
Performance Assessment
Measure change using the same competency blueprint with different, comparable clinical scenarios.
For healthcare employers
Build communication readiness before it becomes a workplace problem.
ACE is designed for organizations recruiting, onboarding, or supporting internationally educated healthcare professionals entering U.S. clinical environments.
Programs can include baseline and final assessment, individualized instruction, role-play and simulation, participant feedback, and employer-facing outcome reporting.
Discuss an ACE program →About ACE
Built at the intersection of clinical practice and communication training.
ACE was developed by Tom Heath, RN, a registered nurse and medical-English instructor whose work focuses on helping healthcare professionals communicate effectively in high-stakes clinical environments.
The program is designed to complement existing clinical expertise and general English proficiency—not replace professional education, licensure requirements, or employer-specific competency evaluation.
Start a conversation
Looking for a practical clinical communication program?
ACE is currently developing employer partnerships and pilot programs for internationally educated healthcare professionals.