1. Why phenomenology is not the correct approach to treat chronic pain.

2. Introduction/thesis Because there is no cure, researchers and patients are desperate for a suitable treatment. Phenomenology is the approach of studying a phenomena. Over all, phenomenology is not the correct approach to treat an illness due to researchers applying the study incorrectly, not understanding the cause of the chronic pain, and the use of phenomenology excluding external factors.

3. Applying it incorrectly. In order to use phenomenology, it must be applied correctly. If it is not being applied correctly, the study can not be critiqued later on. Research has shown that researchers in the nursing field are applying it in correctly by excluding key elements. Other studies have also shown that researchers in the nursing field did not clarify what was guiding their study. If researchers are not clarifying what is guiding the study, it can effect the structure.

4. Not knowing the cause of chronic pain. If the cause of chronic pain has not been found or understood, it is difficult to treat. Phenomenology is not the correct approach due to the limitation of not knowing the cause of it. Research shows that nurses have not conducted many studies over chronic pain. More research shows that there is not enough connections between different effects to find the cause. If researchers are applying a philosophical method incorrectly to treat a disease they do not know they cure of.

5. External factors. Phenomenology is not the correct approach to treat chronic pain due to the limitations of not looking at external factors. By not looking at external factors, researchers could be overlooking the cause or the cure of chronic pain. Research shows other approaches that look at external sources and that have found cures for diseases by looking at external sources and not just the host.

6. Counter argument. Phenomenology is the method of trying to uncover what is hidden. If the certain type of phenomenology is used, it could be used to actually understand the patients instead of just listen to them. If phenomenology is used correctly, it could uncover and help the psychological effects that chronic pain brings with it.

7. Conclusion. Over all, phenomenology is not the correct approach to treat chronic pain due to it not being applied correctly and also the limitations of understanding chronic pain and not looking at external factors. By not applying it correctly, the study can not be evaluated later on. By not understanding the cause of chronic pain, researchers will not know what treatments to use. By not looking at external factors, the cure and cause could be over looked.

8. Works cited. Breen, Janice. “Transitions in the Concept of Chronic Pain.” Advances in Nursing Science 24.4. Web. (2002): 48-59. Carson, M. Gail, and Gail J. Mitchell. “The experience of living with persistent pain.” Journal of Advanced nursing 28.6. Web. (1998): 1242-1248. Kuller, Lewis. “Is phenomenology the best approach to health research?.” American journal of epidemiology 166.10. Web. (2007): 1109-1115.

9. Works cited cont. Mackey, Sandra. “Phenomenological nursing research: methodological insights derived from Heidegger’s interpretive phenomenology.” International Journal of Nursing studies 42.2. Web. (2005): 179-186. McNamara, Martin S. “Knowing and doing phenomenological inquiry: A discussion paper.” International Journal of Nursing Studies 42.6. Web. (2005): 695-704. Norlyk, Annelise, and Ingegerd Harder. “What makes a phenomenological study phenomenological? An analysis of peer-reviewed empirical nursing studies.” Qualitative Health Research 20.3. Web. (2010): 420-431.