Listening to Patients: A Phenomenological Approach to Nursing Research and Practice

S. Thomas and T. Pollio New York: Springer Publishing 2002, 332 pages

Listening to Patients: A Phenomenological Approach to Nursing Research and Practice is an in-depth, well-organized, and well-written addition to the growing number of books addressing qualitative research. As the title suggests, this book addresses one qualitative approach, phenomenology-a method that focuses on the lived experience of research participants. In language that is easy to understand and relevant, this book lays the philosophical foundations of existential phenomenology, describes the fundamental methodological procedures, and presents a series of actual research examples that broaden understanding of the method and include implications for nursing practice. An essential theme of this book contends that graduate students and nurse researchers can learn to elicit the day-to-day experiences and perspectives of their patients through phenomenological research.

This publication is neither a "cookbook" approach to phenomenology nor a treatise on the variety of phenomenological approaches. Rather, this book will provide both aspiring and experienced researchers an intelligible way to more broadly grasp the foundations of existential phenomenology. Novice and experienced qualitative researchers will profit from this book. The neophyte interested in understanding an approach to elicit the patient's point of view will find this book a practical guide in developing a phenomenological research strategy. The advanced qualitative researcher will gain a heightened and comprehensive awareness of phenomenology as a philosophy and a method. The seasoned researcher will appreciate the discussion focused on phenomenologically meaningful conceptual themes of the human experience, a dialogue refined with examples, and the discourse linking research method and nursing practice. Although this book may not be particularly useful for the bedside clinician with little background in qualitative research methods, it may intrigue the clinician interested in research to embrace additional reading in qualitative methods.