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AIM The aim of this work is to synthesize and interpret qualitative research examining the experiences of nurses providing care for patients with COVID-19 in acute care settings in the early stages of the pandemic in different countries. BACKGROUND The prevalence of disasters, including the pandemic, is increasing globally. It is important to understand nurses' experiences in depth to effectively manage extraordinary events that may occur in the future. DESIGN This is a thematic meta-synthesis study. METHODS Electronic databases, including CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, and Scopus, were searched for publications from December 2019 to October 2020. The search was updated for publications to 30 May 2022. The thematic synthesis method was used to analyse and interpret the data. FINDINGS The experiences of the nurses giving care to patients with COVID-19 were grouped under four themes: (1) Difficulties encountered in the care of patients with COVID-19; (2) mixed emotions experienced in the care of patients with COVID-19; (3) coping strategies that nurses used in the management of the pandemic; (4) the benefits of the COVID-19 to nurses. CONCLUSION Nurses faced many difficulties and experienced mixed emotions while providing care for patients with coronavirus disease. Perceived social support was seen as the most important strategy for coping with these difficult situations. It is important to be aware of the difficulties and emotions experienced by nurses and support them during the COVID-19 pandemic for the management of future pandemics.