Background: As nurses care for patients at the end of life, they face situations that affect not only their jobs, but other aspects of their lives. However, there is very little research on the psychological impact of caring for terminally ill patients, the challenges that nurses face and their specific coping strategies have not been the subject of much research.
Aim: To synthesise the psychological behaviour of nurses working with terminally ill patients and identify their concept of death after caring for terminally ill patients.
Method: An integrative review.
Results: A total of 17 articles were deemed eligible, wherein 6 themes were generated: (1) the highs and lows of terminal illness care, (2) challenges faced by nurses caring for the terminally ill, (3) the role of nurses in terminal illness care, (4) coping with the effects, (5) coming face to face with one's mortality, and (6) continuing education in terminal illness care. Coping with the effects has two subthemes: (a) coping strategies used by nurses and (b) the role of professional relationships in coping.
Conclusion: Nurses need to have a sound mind and body in order for them to be effective when caring for people at the end of life.
Keywords: mental health; nurses; professional relationships; psychological impact; terminally ill patients.