**2. Materials and Methods**

Phenomenology is a philosophical approach and qualitative research method that can be particularly effective when studying phenomenon where little knowledge has been previously uncovered as in the phenomenon experienced by nurses caring for acutely ill patients during a pandemic. Phenomenology is the study of an individual's lived experiences and helps to develop a better understanding of what the experience means [12,13]. The purpose of the research method is to describe the reality of an experience and the effect that the experience has on the person [12,13]. Phenomenology has a unique approach to data collection in that the researcher is the primary study instrument and the subject's story is the data [12,13]. Data collected through phenomenological methods may be the basis for the development of quantitative measures utilized in future studies. Researchers must bracket their own perceptions and views during data collection and analysis so as not to bias results [12].
