As opposed to studies on the immediate psychological impact of traumatic nursing experiences, little attention has been directed to the persistence of certain long-standing hidden symptoms of trauma in some nurses. Since psychological reactions to trauma are claimed to be similar, irrespective of the source of trauma, it is postulated that findings from recent studies on delayed post-traumatic stress reaction in Vietnam veterans, victims of natural disaster, and survivors of the holocaust, delineate symptoms which are also found in stress-prone nurses utilizing maladaptive coping strategies in response to hospital-related traumatic episodes. While some observations are conjectural and speculative, an integrated review is presented of areas of research hitherto unrelated, which serves to deepen our understanding of trauma and its impact upon the mental health of nurses.