Phenomenological approaches to palliative care research

Abstract

The recent debate about a suitable research paradigm \nfor palliative care1 has highlighted the importance \nof methodologies which are sensitive enough \nto allow subjective experiences to be elicited with \ncompassion, whilst at the same time conforming to \nexpectations and principles of scientific rigour. One \npossible framework for addressing this issue lies \nwithin the tradition of phenomenology, and this \napproach has attracted a good deal of interest, particularly \namong those undertaking research in \nnursing.2 \nPhenomenology comes from two Greek words: \nphainomenon, meaning ‘appearance’ and logos, \nwhich denotes ‘reason’. Contemporary phenomenology \nrevolves around the problem of how we \nmake sense of the everyday world. It provides \nopportunities to tease out some of the concepts, \nideas, frameworks and structures of meaning which \nare found in the day to day world of human interaction. \nPhenomenology has therefore been attractive \nto some researchers of health care practice who \nsee in it the potential to illuminate otherwise takenfor- \ngranted assumptions which can exist in the \nprocess of giving and receiving care. Benner and \nWreubel,3 for example, have applied the ideas to \nnursing in an attempt to identify the elements in a \n‘science of caring’. \nStudies which make claims to a phenomenological \nperspective are now appearing in palliative care. \nOur purpose here therefore is to outline very briefly \nthe fundamental principles of the phenomenological \napproach and to highlight some key issues which \npalliative care researchers may wish to consider \nwhen assessing the relevance of phenomenology to \ntheir

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