Background: Nurses’ responsibility is complex and primarily aimed at promoting health, prevent disease and patient’s suffering as well as restore health. In addition, nurses are in contact with the patient’s relatives as well as they are team leaders. Stress is a clear element in today's society and common in the caring professions and it can have a negative effect on the care. Psychological illness is common among nursing students and it might be due to concerns about their future profession.

Aim: The aim was to describe the newly graduated nurses' experience of work-related stress.

Method: A literature review has been conducted in which 14 scientific articles have been analyzed by similarities and differences. The key findings were identified, put under main headings and subheadings and is presented in the result.

Results: Newly graduated nurses experienced a lack of clinical and academic knowledge during the first three years of their professional career. These were the most common work related stress factors. Nurses were also stressed about the responsibilities and requirements that follows the professional role. Time management and work overload were two other factors that contributed to work related stress. 

Discussion: Nurses felt they have difficulties coping with the demands that followed their professional role. Heavy workload, time constraints and lack of knowledge were factors that contributed to nurse´s experience of not being able to exert control of their work. When the demands are high and there is little ability to exert control, the risk of unhealthy stress will increase. Support from employees and managers can reduce stress in working life.