Pleural empyema is inflammation with inflammatory exudate that fills the pleural cavity. Pleural empyema usually occurs during or after pneumonia (parapneumonic), duringa variety of inflammatory processes, degenerative processes of lung and during chest injuries. Empyema may occur from neighboring infections, which expands to pleura, also it can expand metastatic and hematogenous from any purulent focus in the body. Pleural empyema occurs in three phases, exudative, fibrinopurulent and chronic phase. Treatment of pleural empyema can be conservative and surgical depending on the stage of the disease. In the exudative phase empyema is successfully treated with antibiotics and thoracic drainage, while in fibrinopurulent and fibrin deposit phase surgical treatment is induced. Video-assisted thoracoscopy is the method of choice in the treatment of fibrinopurulent stages of pleural empyema. VATS achive the same therapeutic effect as thoracotomy with a lower mortality and morbidity. VATS reduce postoperative period, patients feel less pain compared to open thoracotomy, and the aestheticresult is better. Nurse/medical technician has an important role in preparing the patient for surgery, during the surgery and postoperatively.