WORKING AS A COORDINATOR MIDWIFE IN A TERTIARY ...

Summary
In this chapter, I have identified my philosophical stance in relation to the research
question and how the philosophical approaches of Heidegger and van Manen form the
basis of my study.
I have described the study design, how ethical approval was gained, participant
recruitment was achieved and anonymity and protection of participants was ensured. I
have detailed the interview process, how I analyzed data and how trustworthiness has
been achieved in this study. I have utilized the key philosophical constructs in this study,
which Koch (1996) identifies are discovered through application of “the hermeneutic
circle, dialogue and the fusion of horizons as metaphors for understanding in interpretive
work” (p.62).
I leapt into the hermeneutic circle with great enthusiasm. My pre-understandings had
been revealed and I held a readiness to uncover new meaning and themes with which to
reveal understanding of the experiences of coordinator midwives in the delivery suite
setting. The experiences coordinators shared often felt adrenaline charged, exhilarating
and exhausting. There were stories which felt on the edge of safety, which read more like
fiction than reality and which placed these women in undeniably difficult professional
situations. I had not anticipated how difficult it would be to bring these stories together
and to bring meaning to the Dasein of the phenomenon.
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