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In this paper, Helena Priest describes and justifies a phenomenological research method that may be used to explore complex and nebulous concepts relevant to nursing and health care, for example, the concept of 'caring'. The history and development of Husserlian phenomenology are outlined, followed by an account of the use of phenomenology within nursing research. Tensions inherent in the use of Husserlian phenomenology in nursing research are noted. A phenomenological approach to data analysis, designed to address some of these tensions, is described and compared with several well-established phenomenological analysis strategies. Issues of reliability, validity and generalisability are discussed as are limitations in the use of the approach, before conclusions relevant to healthcare researchers are drawn.
Keywords: data analysis, Husserl, phenomenology
Introduction and aims
In recent years, a plethora of nursing and allied healthcare research has been published that claims to use phenomenology as the basis for data generation and analysis. Upon closer inspection, however, it is clear that a wide variety of approaches have been employed under the auspices of phenomenology. This paper, therefore, seeks to review the history and development of phenomenology and its application to nursing research, in order to provide a context for the particular methodological approach developed and described here. The paper describes and justifies a phenomenological research method that may be used in the exploration of complex and nebulous concepts relevant to nursing and health care, such as the concept of 'caring'.
Phenomenology
The term phenomenology, first expressed by Immanuel Kant in 1764, is derived from the Greek phainein, meaning 'to appear'. Rooted within the continental philosophical tradition, its significant origins are generally attributed to Husserl (1859-1938), a German mathematician and logician. Husserl's mission was to discover the nature, goals and methods of philosophical enquiry. With the publication of his influential text, Ideas (Husserl 1913/1982), he formalised his attempts to devise a single system of doctrine, or 'philosophia prima' (Bell 1990). Husserl insisted upon the need for philosophy to be a rigorous science that would rid itself of all assumptions, and make no claims that could not be guaranteed (Paley 1997).
Husserl believed that access to the material world was through consciousness, and that all knowledge was derived from experience. In effect, he expanded the meaning of...