Background: Stress among ´nurses´ at the emergency department is a common problem. Emergency departments are often overcrowded and the lack of staff is a usual issue. The work pace in the emergency department is often high and dealing with stressful situations is often forgotten.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore ´nurses´ experience of occupational stress in the emergency department.

Method: A literature review has been made of 7 qualitative and 7 quantitative articles. Articles were analyzed by searching for similarities and differences. The analyzed articles were published between 2008-2016.

Results: The results showed that ´nurses´ showed a high level of occupational stress due to high workload and lack of staff. The results also showed that consequenses of stress were fatigue syndrome and depression. The most effective coping strategy among ´nurses´ were a strong social support, and the use of debriefing.

Conclusion: To work as a ´nurse´ at the emergency department can be stressful. To be able to deal with stress effectively ´nurses´ need to be educated in coping strategies. Clear guidelines in the emergency department are an effective method in dealing with stress.