BackgroundIn advanced homecare specialist nurses often encounters patients who are suffering in their final stage of life. The concept suffering can have different dimensions. The aim of this study is to reveal the concept of suffering on order to get a deeper understanding of patients suffering in end of life care.

Aim The aim is to unveil the concept of suffering in order to get a deeper understanding of the patient's suffering in end of life care.

Method The concept analysis method developed by Koort and the content analysis developed by Graneheim & Lundman was used.

Results The concept of suffering reveal several dimensins of the concept suffering. The concepts that were considered meaningsful in end of life context was tolerate, endure and agony. The result of the analysis from the biography was withheld a end of life context and was interpreted using a content analysis. The resultat of testanalysis show that the dimensions tolerate, endure and agony formed a line of argument through the autobiography and formed the main theme of suffering.

Conclusion To be in the final stages of life usually means a great deal of suffering for the patient. As seen in this study the concept of suffering portrays so many different dimensions; body, soul and spirit. These different dimensions will be an important tool for the specialist nurse when whom is to alleviate the suffering of patients in end of life.