Objective To explore the care dilemma of family caregivers of hospice care patients, so as to provide a basis for formulating transitional nursing intervention programs. Methods Using the phenomenological research method, 12 family main caregivers of palliative care patients were selected by the purpose sampling method, and semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted in the form of one-to-one methods. The interview data were analyzed by the Colaizzi seven-step analysis method. Results Three themes and 9 sub-themes were extracted:difficulties in coping with roles (difficulty in adapting to environmental changes, difficulty in caring for patients independently, and difficulty in coping with emotional stress); lack of family-centred support (inadequate preparation for discharge care, inadequate family social support, and lack of information resources); diverse care needs (desire for continuity of care services, desire for home care knowledge and skills, conscious psychological preparation and grief counselling). Conclusion The care dilemma of family caregivers of hospice care patients during the discharge transition period is complex and changeable, and there are multi-dimensional care needs. Medical staff should set up a multidisciplinary hospice care team, unite all social forces, and jointly help caregivers overcome the nursing difficulties of patients in the transitional period of discharge, and improve the physical and mental health of caregivers.