As nurses, it is important to “be responsible and competent enablers of patient empowerment”. (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 493) We have taken an oath to follow a code of ethics that requires us to act as advocates for our patients while providing safe nursing care. However, we cannot make every medical choice or decision on their behalf. Furthermore, we cannot give them power, “because doing so eliminates the element of choice.” (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 501) We can, however, “facilitate empowerment by working directly with patients and addressing the social, political, and environmental factors that influence the empowerment of individuals and communities.” (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 493) In this article I will discuss how nurses can provide empowerment, some issues and constraints that impact empowerment, and how I feel about empowerment in my workplace. Empowering Patients To facilitate patient empowerment, we must first be in a position of self-empowerment. This requires us to reflect on our values, beliefs and ideas of power. “Nurses must also give up their need for control, instead developing attitudes of collaboration and mutual participation in decision-making.” (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 517) We must understand that patients have the right to make their own decisions even if they differ from ours. Mutual respect for their thoughts, feelings and decisions creates a trusting relationship. We must be able to openly listen to our patients' needs and communicate effectively to empower our patients. They need to know that we listen to them, that we understand them and that we will provide them with the knowledge and information they need to make their own choices. We must first be... middle of the paper... be models of self-empowerment." (Burkhardt & Nathaniel, 2014, p. 520) There are many constraints and issues that can affect the empowerment process. As nurses, we must address the “social, political, and environmental factors that influence empowerment” in order to provide the highest quality nursing care It is important to remember that “empowerment is an essential part of nursing care.” 2014, p. 521) References Burkhardt, M. A. & Nathaniel, A. K. (2014). Ethics and Issues in Contemporary Nursing (4th ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. LaSala, C. A. & Bjarnason, D. (September 2010). . Creating Workplaces that Support Moral Courage. Retrieved from http://www.nursingworld.org/MainMenuCategories/ANAMarketplace/ANAPeriodicals/OJIN/TableofContents/Vol152010/No3-Sept-2010/Workplace-Environments-and-Moral-Courage. .html