Using vignettes to assist reflection within an action research study on a preoperative education programme

This paper describes an exploratory use of vignettes in action research. The study was with a group of health care professionals, who were working together to improve their preoperative education programme for patients awaiting a total hip replacement.
One vignette, written after the observation of an education programme, is presented to illustrate how the health care professionals used it within an action research cycle in order to reflect on practice and then to implement changes. These changes were mostly to the programme organisation and in preparing the venue for the education.
The vignette enabled the health care professionals to appreciate a different perspective to their own lived experience. The value of vignettes used in this way is recognised in this paper because they facilitated the health care professionals' reflections within the action research process.