Introduction:

Health care passes directly through understanding, reflection, and analysis of the way the nursing professional perceives the phenomenon of death or dying.

Objective:

To analyze the scientific publications addressing the topic of thanatology as developed by nursing.

Methods:

Integrative review study of the critical and retrospective function, with primary data sources. The search strategy consisted in the use of the keywords and descriptors fenomenología [phenomenology],enfermería [nursing] and cuidados paliativos [palliative care]. The search was performed MEDLINE, LILACS, BDENF and SCOPUS. The inclusion criteria permitted to choose the articles totally available in the selected sites and presenting relation to the topic in Portuguese, English and Spanish, published between 2011 and 2015 and those providing the philosophical framework adopted. The exclusion permitted not to use the investigations that were repeated in the databases.

Conclusions:

First-year students of the nursing program approach death or the dying process, the experiences associated with terminal illness through art, palliative care for terminal illness and organ donation after the finiteness of life. Concern about the topic permeates the academic environment and the hospital, but the most representative concern is associated with the care humanization. Scientific productions developed by nurses address the topic of thanatology, mainly the attention not only during the process of death, but extended to the next life with the focus of organ donation, which demonstrates a comprehensive approach to healthcare, being this effective and positive in the memory of those who receive attention.

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