Background: 90,000 patients die every year in Sweden, of which 80 percent are in need of palliative care. Nurses working in palliative care are supposed to care for the physical, psychics and existential needs according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Existential questions and concerns often become relevant at the end of life, existential questions such as what is the meaning of life, death and debt may occur. The existential questions can cause suffering to the patient, and it is significant that nurses can respond to patient's questions and concerns.

Aim: The aim of this literature-based study was to describe nurses' experiences of facing existential questions of patients in palliative care.

Method: A method of a five-step model was performed and based on analysis of ten qualitative scientific articles. The articles research was carried out through the databases PubMed, Psycinfo and Cinahl. The analysis resulted in two main themes and four subthemes.

Results: The main themes were: Create security and trust, Perceived conditions and obstacles at work. Nurses experienced insecurity and inadequacy to communicate about the existential questions with the patient. This was based on discomfort, lack of time and experience.

Conclusion: Education together with knowledge, caring communication and person-centered approach is important for the nurse to be able to face patient's existential questions. To gain experience the nurse needs to be brave enough to engage in conversations with the patients.