Proceedings of the 8th World Conference on Qualitative Research

Introduction: Recent COVID contexts have changed the patterns of phenomena occurring within healthcare settings. While there has been increased attention on the need for qualitative research in healthcare, beginning a post-pandemic research agenda with phenomenological studies can help healthcare professionals decide where to focus subsequent research.
Goals and Methods: While qualitative research has been increasing in frequency and in professionals who value it, there remains minimal in-practice models about which methodologies work best alongside most healthcare professionals already overfull workloads. The goal of this methodological and practice-based paper was to examine the following questions: (1) How did phenomenological research fit with healthcare practices? Why was phenomenological research aptly matched to professional healthcare environments and practice when they are in rapid flux? The researchers utilized a retroactive and reflective method to analyze why phenomenological approaches were frequently chosen in COVID-era research. The researchers examined highly-cited phenomenological healthcare studies where data collection began after the awareness and responsiveness to COVID. This systematic review of qualitative phenomenological studies alongside the researchers own recent qualitative phenomenology research experiences allowed for both a broad and deep analysis of the benefits of this approach specific to healthcare in a post-pandemic era.
Results: Our research discovered positive rationales for utilizing phenomenological research approaches aligned to shifting times, policies, and practices. Unlike other types of research, phenomenological strengths included starting with a globally validated phenomenon, which COVID naturally provided. Next, phenomenological studies interviewed participants who experienced this phenomena, which in a post-pandemic environment meant numerous easily identifiable participants. Further, phenomenological research was easily narrowed to fine-tune findings within specified healthcare sub-fields, making it broadly and easily adaptable across healthcare fields. Phenomenology helped researchers understand participants’ actions and motivations, while often challenging long-held status quo healthcare beliefs, which made phenomenological research ideal for times of flux and rapid change.