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In Switzerland since the 2000s, assisted suicide (AS) has been on the rise. This has meant that health care professionals, particularly those in palliative care units, are asked to care for people who have applied for AS. The purpose of this literature review is to identify factors that may influence the demand for AS, and to provide food for thought on nursing practice in caring for these people until they return home or die. Searches using the CINHAL, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were conducted between December 2017 and February 2018 using the following key words: chronic disease, nursing care, assisted suicide/death, death with dignity. The results show that factors influencing the demand for AS are mainly inherent and intrinsically linked to the patient’s personality. Health care professionals are not well informed about the institutional and legal provisions regarding AS. Willingness to be involved in the process varies depending not only upon their personal beliefs but also upon their level of knowledge. Identifying the factors that influence the application for AS highlights the need for the autonomy and the monitoring of the people making the application. Due to the lack of an institutional and legal framework, carers often feel helpless in these situations. Some ideas are proposed about the nursing role to promote the well-being of people, drawing upon Pamela Reed’s concept of self-transcendence. The results should be considered with caution in view of the limited available literature on the subject and the small number of articles considered.