Abstract: This is a report of a study into the night-time experience of elderly hospitilised adults and the nurses who care for them. A grounded theory approach was used for the analysis of data and subsequent generation of a theoretical description an partial explanation of patient experiences, nursing actions and nurse-patient interactions.Data were gathered through observation, interview, document audit and literature review; tow general medical wards in a large regional hospital were the focus of field methods of data collection.It is argued that the night-time experiences of elderly hospitalized adults are to a large degree dependent on the individual patterns of sleep and waking behaviour of these people in their normal environments. If individualised care is given, nurses must be aware of people's usual patterns of behaviour.Nurses working at night engage in a series of complex decision sin the course of their interaction with patients. They work under constraints not present during the daytime, and are highly dependent on co-operation from colleagues on other shifts for information which would enable them to deliver optimum care at night. At the same time, night nurses have access to information from and about patients which would be invaluable to a total assessment of any patient's health state.Considerations of sleep and sleep are relevant to nurses working all shifts. The findings of the study have implications in terms of nurses' knowledge of all aspects of sleep; assessment practices; nurse-patient and nurse-nurse communication; nurse-patient relationships at night; wars management; and the independence of nurses

Abstract: This action research study explores the experiences of 'patient education' from the perspective of a group comprising two nurses, two people with asthma, and the researcher who is a nurse who has asthma. The method used is emancipatory action research (Grundy, 1990) with critical social theory and feminism as theoretical underpinnings.The focus moves from patient education to a broader view of living and working with asthma. The story of the group is presented in the format of a play. A play within the play tells of living and working with asthma.An action research spiral is formed which reflects the way the group moves through the three modes of action research described by Grundy (1990). The acts of the play represent each of the stages of the action research process. The emphasis moves from power and control through to practice wisdom.The main issues explored are: the nature of patient education by nurses; the implications this has for relationships with patients and nursing education; power and control in the secondary setting; the lived experience of chronic illness and the practice wisdom of nurses and people with asthma. The work concludes with recommendations for change in each of these areas based on the work of the group