Current literature reports that nurses are the members of the health-care team who have the most contact with patients facing a life-threatening illness. The multidisciplinary palliative care approach means that hospice and palliative care nurses require a consistent theoretical foundation in order to be confident of and able to explain their role. The aim of this paper is to describe existing palliative care and hospice nursing models and theories and to identify their core concepts. Literature published between 2002 and 2012 on such models was reviewed and subjected to content analysis. Ten core concepts were identified that fell into three categories: patient, nurse, and therapeutic relationship. The themes and values identified in the end-of-life nursing models and theories are congruent with palliative care best practices based on a patient-centred and an interdisciplinary teamwork approach. In developing a therapeutic relationship with patients, nurses have a 'privileged' experience that may lead to existential growth and job satisfaction.