Background: We are facing a global lack of working nurses since nurses end their carrier earlier than their planned retirement. The psychosocial work environment is a big problem in the nursing field and affects the nurses´ health status, suffering and stress level.

Aim: The aim with this study was to describe nurses´ perceptions of factors that affects their psychosocial working environment.

Method: A literature overview

Results: The collegial relationships, the workplace manager, the structure of the working hours and the organization and staffing makes the ground for however the nurses will appreciate and stay at their workplace, or if they are going to dislike the work and leave either the workplace or the nursing-field entirely.

Conclusion: Adequate staffing, good relations with the co-workers, a manager that sees and appreciates the nurses is work environmental factors that increase the chances that the nurses is going to appreciate their work, and remain at their workplace. To achieve a good work environment there should be enough time for the nurses´ to take good care of the patients and colleagues. There should also be a supporting management at the work place and a good cooperation in the working team. A mean manager, understaffing, bad relationships with colleagues, and a lack of trust and independence increases the risk that the nurses will leave both the workplace and the entire nursing field.