The literature reveals only superficial description of the clinical judgment needed to practice hospice nursing. Practice wisdom remains vague and taken for granted. To improve documentation of the nature of hospice nursing practice, 32 expert hospice nurses were asked to tell stories of memorable practice experiences. Those narratives were interpreted using qualitative methodology to identify 10 hospice nursing practice competencies and a visual model of practice. This model can be used to articulate hospice nursing practice to students, fellow professionals, and those making decisions about health care in the future.
