Background: Threat and violence is a common but underreported phenomenon in healthcare, especially in emergency departments. Nurses working in emergency departments are particularly vulnerable and exposed to threats and violence at their workplace. Violence against nurses is most often caused by patients and their relatives.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experiences of threat and violence at emergency departments

Method: A literature study based on qualitative data from 12 articles found through the databases PubMed and CINAHL. Fribergs five-stage model was used for the analysis. 

Results: The analysis resulted in three themes and eight subthemes. The three themes were Affected both as a nurse and private person, Challenging to maintain and strengthen their nursing role and Deficiencies and resources in the organization affects the nature of the violence and the consequences. Threat and violence were a common but underreported phenomenon in emergency departments. It affected nurses' physical and mental health and had a negative impact on the care of the patients. Due to lack of support from hospital management, nurses felt that threats and violence were normalized. 

Conclusion: Threats and violence create a poor working environment and it is an obstacle for nurses to provide good care. Hospital management needs to improve strategies for preventing threats and violence in the emergency departments.