Open access (OA) means unrestricted online access to peer-reviewed scholarly research. Open access is primarily intended for scholarly journal articles, but is also provided for a growing number of theses, book chapters, and scholarly monographs. The advent of Open Access (OA) has changed the landscape of accessing digital information globally. OA offers valuable free, full-text, online resources for all health-related professionals, regardless of the practice setting. Because much scholarly information may now be accessed without charge, nurses worldwide can reach a higher level of information competency a prime requirement for evidence-based practice. This article provides a brief account of the OA movement, introduces new terminology, discusses various publishing models, and elucidates issues surrounding the choice to publish in OA journals. Advantages and disadvantages of open access.