Hermeneutic phenomenology: Australian civilian nurses' lived experience of assisting in disasters

This presentation was delivered as part of my PhD progress at the Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Higher Degrees Research Week.

ABSTRACT
Australian civilian nurses actively participate in disasters, both nationally and internationally. This participation is understood primarily from anecdotal descriptions of single events. Additionally, our understanding stems from small volumes of Australian research pertaining to the nurses’ role, educational preparedness and willingness to assist in disasters. To date, an in-depth understanding of the experiences of Australian nurses’ who have participated in disasters remains superficial, relying on anecdotal descriptions.

This research aims to explore and interpret the lived experience of Australian civilian nurses (division 1) working in the out-of-hospital disaster environment. To achieve this, this research will use a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, employing a traditional snowballing purposive sampling technique and individual in-depth interviews as a means of data collection.

This presentation will provide an overview of phenomenology, focusing on hermeneutic phenomenology. This overview will include a historical account of the development of the phenomenological movement. Key philosophers and their contribution to the philosophical thinking that underpins phenomenology will be discussed, such as Husserl, Heidegger, Satre, Merleau-Ponty, Dilthey and Gadamer. Primarily, this presentation will highlight the suitability of hermeneutic phenomenology as an approach to address the research aim.

Ranse J. (2012). Hermeneutic phenomenology: exploring Australian nurses' lived experience of assisting in disasters; paper presented at the Flinders University, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Higher Degrees Research Week, Adelaide, South Australia, 3rd July.