The new Norwegian health legislation has increased the quality demands on nursing documentation. In collaboration with four psychiatric wards we have conducted an action research project. The staff at a psychiatric hospital has, together with us, explored their own way of producing written nursing documentation. In collaboration with them, we have analysed 20 patient journals which were made anonymous.

Discourse analysis was used as a tool to uncover un-reflected power relations. We read through the documents with a critical view. After an agreement with the staff, we showed them what we judged to be the weak points. We compared the findings with current professional quality standards. The actual language in the reports was analysed critically. The purpose was that the staff would become aware of unintentional consequences of their own parlance.

Action research is primarily aimed at developing knowledge for action. The researcher's role is to identify basic problems through critical consciousness-raising. The goal is to help people explore their own situation in order to be able to improve it.

We contributed by giving them a suitable analysis tool, which can be used for exploring own practice. The analysis tool became an aid in making the necessary qualitative improvements. This has made them change their practice. Practice has contributed to theory development, and the research results have been used for implementing concrete changes to this practice.

Today, the wards can exhibit documentation systems that to a large extent satisfy current professional and legal demands.