Clinical Research with a Hermenutical Design and an Element of Application

In 2008 two researchers completed a 2-year study in collaboration with nurse anesthetists and operating room nurses from three operating theaters in western Sweden. In this paper, with focus on methodology and the ethical approach to research, the aim was to describe a hermeneutical design with an element of application used in a perioperative clinical study. The element of application was chosen to involve clinical nurses to participate as coresearchers. This research was inspired by Lindholm's (2006) method for application research developed to bring new knowledge, to create change as well as to unite theory in dialogues with clinical nurses. Through the perioperative dialogue, the coreseacher not only became one who collected data but also the older patients' nurse, who cared for them. A hermeneutical text interpretation with five readings was used to gain new understanding. Perioperative care becomes evident and is dedicated to the patient in perioperative