This paper presents and examines recent research that interrogates a range of ethical issues arising in end-of-life care in hospital settings. The research has been carried out as part of the Irish Hospice Foundation’s national project, the Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme, which is intended to improve the culture of care and organization regarding dying, death and bereavement in Irish hospitals. The paper specifically addresses the ethical obligations of health professionals in relation to breaking bad news to individuals who are seriously ill. It considers patient narratives drawn from clinical practice in Ireland from an ethical perspective; and links them with patient experiences in other countries.