Background: Mental ill-health is a globally growing public health problem. Primary care is usually the first care contact for people with mental ill-health. Stigmatization from nurses' can give rise to people with mental ill-health refraining from seeking care and feelings of being ridiculed. The nurses'  treatment in primary care is an important component for preventive and health-promoting work and there seems to be potential for development.  Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses' encounters with people with mental ill-health in primary health care. Method: The qualitative literature study was conducted with qualitative and quantitative original articles. The 10 scientific articles included in this study were found in two databases, CINAHL and PubMed. Content analysis was used for data analysis. Results: The analysis resulted in two categories 1) The importance of a good treatment in the meeting with people with mental ill-health, with subcategories: to minimize stigma, to adapt communication. 2) The nurses'  challenges in primary care with subcategories: to expand knowledge and resources, to introduce preventive measures in primary care. Conclusion: ​​ The literature study can hopefully contribute to an increased understanding of nurses' experiences of meeting people with mental illness. The study reports factors that affect the care meeting as well as preventive measures that prevent suffering and promote health. Nurses in primary care should be offered competence development to apply a more person-centered approach. This is for the implementation of health promotion and disease prevention measures for people suffering from mental ill-health.