Background: Palliative care is an approach that involves improving the quality of life for patients and relatives who are facing a life-threatening illness by preventing and alleviating suffering. The purpose of palliative care is to alleviate suffering and promote well-being for patients with a severe and incurable disease or injury, as well as to consider physical, mental, social and existential needs and provide support to relatives. It is important as a nurse to give support to the close relative, through well-conducted conversations between patient, relatives and nurses increase the quality of life and the quality of care and reduce anxiety and depression in the patient and the relative. 

Aim: The aim of this study was to illuminate relatives’ experiences of the nurse’s treatment in palliative care

Method: A literature-based study in which eleven qualitative articles were analyzed. Systematic searches were performed in the databases Cinahl and PubMed. Articles about relative´s experiences of nurse’s treatment were included. 

Results: The results showed a positive attitude to the nurse because she saw them, gave support, and included them. The relatives experienced that they could feel excluded due to lack of information and that they did not be allowed to participate in the care.

Conclusion: This study highlights both positive and negative experiences by the relatives.Relatives feel that support is an important part for them to be able to process their grief. They wanted the support of the nurse as they promoted their processing for their grief. Support does not always have to be in the form of giving comfort, but support can also be help with food and sleeping space.