Living and working with asthma: a dynamic interplay

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 the experience 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 the story 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 care 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.