| Summary: | Background: About 91000 people died in Sweden in 2016 and of those who died an estimate of 70000-75000 needed palliative care. When facing one’s own death it actualises questions about life and death and what happens thereafter. An important aspect of caring for patients at the end of life is the existential and spiritual dimension and therefore it is important that nurses have adequate knowledge and insight to be able to provide the best possible spiritual care for the patients. Aim: The aim of this study was to illustrate nurses’ different experiences of existential and spiritual encounters with patients at the end-of-life. Method: A method to contribute to evidence-based nursing with ground in analysis of qualitative research was used. An analysis of thirteen qualitative articles was carried out and resulted in 3 main themes and 12 subthemes. Results: The results of the study showed that some important factors with regards to existential encounters were courage, good communication skills, presence and the ability to care with love and compassion and to instill a sense of hope. For the nurses the encounters fostered a process of inner growth as they started to reflect on their own sense of spirituality and on issues of death and dying. Barriers included lack of time, knowledge and staff shortages. Conclusion: There is a need for sufficient time, education and support for the nurses to feel more prepared and comfortable in meeting the existential needs of the patients. Keywords: Palliative care, existential, spiritual, experience, nurse
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