PURPOSE.To describe a teaching plan to introduce home health nurses to hospice care.DATA SOURCES.Published articles and books, author experience.DATA SYNTHESIS.Home health nurses practice with hospice nurses in separate, but blended, roles. Inservice education in hospice concepts can help home health nurses better identify potential hospice candidates in the community.CONCLUSIONS.Early recognition of hospice-eligible patients can facilitate use of appropriate resources and improve quality of care. Home health nurses are in an ideal position to assess hospice readiness.IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE.With a short, easily delivered inservice course, home health nurses can learn necessary principles to facilitate identification of patients who are eligible for or would benefit from provision of specific hospice/palliative care services.