Getting the right information to the right person at the right time is a prerequisite for proper nursing home patient care. Pervasive computing technologies can help this situation by speeding communication and improving documentation of care. Yet actual deployment of pervasive technologies in medical applications generally and nursing homes particularly is still in its infancy. Deploying prototypes that solve specific problems can help staff see its benefits. The authors describe a rapid prototyping experience in a real-world setting. In a four-week deadline with two half-time developers available, they built a testable prototype for deployment. They involved end users early in the design process through workplace ethnographical study, paper prototypes, and Wizard of Oz system tests.