Michael Crotty and nursing phenomenology: criticism or critique?

In 1996 Michael Crotty published the text Phenomenology and nursing research in which he criticised many nurse researchers' interpretation of the methodology of phenomenology and their utilisation of phenomenology as a method for undertaking qualitative nursing research. Crotty's thesis proposes that the research conducted by nurses is not phenomenology according to the European tradition, but a North American hybrid. Subsequently, debate has occurred amongst nurses as to whether Crotty's work is a scholarly, reasoned critique or a severe, judgmental, fault-finding criticism of nursing research. Considering the increasing utilisation of phenomenology as a methodology that informs nursing research, this debate is an important one and has implications for the conduct of research. This article examines this debate and the implications of Crotty's work for phenomenological research in nursing.