Sykepleien i spenningsfeltet mellom teori og praksis — konflikt eller dialog?

Nursing education in Norway has since its formalization comprized both theory and practice. During the last 20 years there has been a reduction on the part of clinical practice in the programme from 67 % to 35 %. The theoretical courses have expanded correspondingly. The changes have occured step by step as a consequence of new rules and regulations for nursing education put forward by the Minstry of Social Affairs, now the Minstry of Culture, Science and Research. Nursing education is now organized within the academic educational system and graduate nursing studies at University level started in 1977. This has opened up for the possibility of developing nursing within the framework of scientific tradition. In this article the focus will be on the theoretical development that has place within nursing. Questions will be posed, i.e.: “What is meaningful theory for a practical profession”, and “What can theory tell us concerning the practical performance of nursing?”. The discussion will to a large extent remain within the framework of theory of science. The article is based upon a thesis in education at the University of Tromsø. The title of the theses was: “Nursing profession — a lived profession, — can it be learned or does it require to be lived ?” (1)