[Nursing science and sociology: in what way can sociological expertise support nursing research?]

Nursing science is currently orientated towards theories and methods from the social sciences. The article asks in which exact fields nursing science can use experiences of sociologists. Central topics are methodological aspects as well as concrete research contents. The following aspects are dealt with in greater detail: In the methodological field the relation of theory and practice is analyzed. Secondly, the relation of empirical and theoretical methods is described. Concerning the concrete research contents it is suggested that the topics nursing and society, nursing and hospital organisation, and the patient-nurse-interaction by sociological means should be analyzed. Several examples relevant to nursing illustrate the argument.