<p>Phenomenological research seeks to understand how individuals perceive and make sense of their lived experience (Annells 1999). As such it seems very relevant to nursing which ‘as a human science focuses on life and health as humanly experienced’ (Pilkington 2005, p98). In this paper I outline the main principles of Heidegger’s (1962) hermeneutic (interpretive) phenomenology, clarify my understanding of hermeneutic concepts, show how I applied them in a research design exploring nursing students’ perceptions of clinical decision-making skills, and, in developing a critical framework that cross references phenomenological and qualitative evaluation criteria. I summarise the potential relevance of hermeneutic phenomenology and my critical framework in researching nurse education and nursing practice.</p>