[Modification of Colaizzi's phenomenological method; a study concerning quality care]

The aim of this article is to describe Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method using as an example a study of good care. The purpose of phenomenological method is to uncover the genuine experience of the phenomenon under investigation; Colaizzi's method consists of seven steps. First informants' descriptions of the experiences are read in order to acquire a sense of the whole. After that significant statements are extracted. Meanings are formulated from the significant statements. Formulated meanings are organised into themes. Themes are integrated into an exhaustive description. The essential structure of the phenomenon is formulated. And finally for validation the informants will evaluate the result of the analysis, if it means the same as their original experiences were. The modification of Colaizzi's method was used in order to conceptualize good care based on the experiences of a population of ex-patients.