Background: Aging can mean weakness that affect the elderly's independence. When theelderly come in need for healthcare, example through nursing homes, home care or hospitals,the work needs to be based on promoting the elderlys independence. Aim: To describenurses' experiences of promoting the elderly patient's independence. Method: Systematicliterature study of qualitative approach with Evans (2002) analysis method. Results: Afterthe analysis, two themes and four subthemes emerged. Theme one describes strategies thatinclude preventive measures and participation. Theme two describes resources in theorganization, which includes internal resources and external resources. Conclusion: Thereare different ways for nurses to promote independence in the elderly patient. They can workpreventively so that the independence of the elderly patient can be preserved andstrengthened. Participation in the elderly patient was considered significant as this is almosta must for the elderly to have the opportunity to experience independence. Understanding aswell as reflection and evaluation are significant parts of the work of internal resources.External resources include collaboration between different professions and how theenvironment can be adapted to the elderly. Assistive technology for the elderly patient is anexternal resource as the elderly patient's independence is promoted.