Background: The prevalence of self-harm is increasing worldwide. Self-harm involves intentionally hurting oneself and is usually understood as a coping strategy. Nurses in all different health care units come across this group of patients. Nurses play a central part in the care of this patient group and their attitudes affect patients’ health. 

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe nurses’ attitudes towards patients who self-harm.

Method: A literature review with a qualitative approach. Nine studies were included and subjected to a thematic analysis.

Results: The data analysis resulted in three themes: Nurses’ perception of the patient, Emotions and Working conditions. The result showed positive and negative attitudes as common among nurses. Attitudes are affected by several factors including working experience, knowledge, resources, and empathy. 

Conclusions: Nurses’ attitudes affect patients’ health. Positive attitudes strengthen patients’ resources and promote good health. Whereas negative attitudes constitute an obstacle to good nursing practice and negatively affect patients’ health. The result indicates a continued lack of knowledge regarding patients who self-harm. A suggestion for future studies is to investigate how negative attitudes are best prevented and changed. 

Key words: Attitudes, nursing, nurses, self-injurious behavior