Objective To enrich a preliminary theoretical model of family caregivers′ experience of caring for patients at the end-of-life stage. Methods Six English databases and five Chinese databases were systematically searched for the studies of grounded theory interpreting the family members′ experience of caring for patients at the end-of-life stage published before March 2023. The 14 included studies were synthesized by using the methods of Thematic Expansion and Theory-generating Meta-synthesis. Results Eight core components of the theoretical model developed in the previous studies have been adjusted and extended. The theoretical model consisted of seven core components:motivation, the awareness of dying, companionship, emotional experience, life changes, needs, consequences and goals. Several core components are influenced by the caregivers, patients, families, the healthcare system, and societal factors. Conclusion Nurses could provide tailored-support based on the theoretical model of family caregivers′ experience of caring for patients at the end-of-life stage, and help family caregivers to cope with end-of-life caregiving tasks at multiple levels of cognition, spirit and behavior.