Background: Telephone counseling is a multifaceted profession, which makes it possible to perform nursing care without meeting the care seeker physically. Nurses supports, assesses, guides and provides care seekers with self-care advice, which is of great importance to avoid health problems and complications for the care seekers.

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses' experiences of telephone counseling within health centers and 1177 Vårdguiden.

Method: A method aimed to contribute to evidence-based care based on the analysis of qualitative research described by Friberg (2012), was used. Eleven articles were analysed and resulted in four categories, with fourteen sub-categories.

Results: The four categories that emerged were; the importance of own knowledge and security, to face ethical dilemmas, stress and job demands and the use of decision support. The lack of visual contact requires specific knowledge by the nurses and communication with healthcare seekers from other cultures and with third parties to some extent created uncertainty. The nurses must be quick and do right in limited time. Decision support was perceived as both an obstacle and complement.

Conclusion: Nurses´ experiences of working with telephone counseling was described as stressful, demanding but also positive and challenging. In order to best perform telephone counseling it required experience, vast competence and ability to apply knowledge. It was considered important to use oneself as a main asset and to be aware of strengths, weaknesses and reactions in different situations.