Abstract: It is evident from the prevalence of items in the popular press and incased research by health professional that, over the last two decades, menopause as been discussed more openly. However, medical information is still largely oriented toward menopause as a disease with emphasis on the pharmacological interventions needed to correct the disease. Literature in medical and nursing journals is also predominantly oriented towards menopause as a state of oestrogen, nurse researchers and feminists writers are challenging this viewsThe aim of the research was to discover how women gain knowledge about menopause, and how they make decisions about “managing” their menopause. In the study knowledge was defined as being more than information. It is seen as being more than information. It is seen as understanding derived from synthesis of data about menopause collected from various sources. Eleven women aged 46-55 recruited through a letter in the researcher's local newspaper, were interviewed. The resulting data was analysed by the constant comparison method as used in grounded theory.A descriptive model was developed including the basic social process of “integrating menopause into midlife”. A tertiary level of education and good social support were found to be associated with the women being seekers of knowledge about their menopause. These women, the majority of the participants, revealed themselves as being self-controlling with respect to their menopause. Among the few who had allowed their menopause to be managed by others, if they experienced adverse effects of the treatment, then there was a move toward greater self management.,Generally, nurses were not seen by the participants as possible sources of information. That finding highlights menopause as an area of health education in which nurses have the potential to play a more active role

Abstract: Maternal child care in New Zealand has traditionally been given by a variety of providers from the private and public sector. The reorganisation of the health services has effected all forms of health delivery including maternal and well child care or well child care services. Contracting of services in a competitive environment has been an important feature of the reorganisation process. Ashton (1995) notes that the system of contracting has facilitated the introduction of new approaches to health from new provider groups, which are not necessarily based on primary health care principles. This has led to confusion for providers and consumers alike. In 1996 a new national schedule which described the services recommended for maternal and child care was introduced called WellChild/Tamariki Ora. A questionnaire based on this schedule was administered to a sample of 125 parents of children under five years of age in Hawkes Bay to investigate issues relating to the provision and receipt of well care services.Descriptive data showed that the major providers in the present study were doctors. There were significant differences found in the number of services received by the less educated, the unemployed, single parent families, and Maori and Pacific Island people.Perceptions about the helpfulness of services received were not related to ratings of the child's health. Parents who received a greater number of Family/Whanau support services rated their children's health more highly. Findings are discussed in relation to the previous literature and recommendations are presented with particular emphasis on the implications for nursing and the role of nurses in providing well child care services

Abstract: This field project undertaken in 1981 was designed to compare and contrast the role perspective with the practice perspective. Job descriptions were used as the role data and this role data was then considered in relation to information gained from field observations. The discussion looked at the findings in the current context of debate surrounding the future “roles” of nurses in the community