Interviewing is a popular research method, closely associated with hermeneutic inquiry as a means of obtaining lived experience material from the viewpoint of the experiencing person. This article provides personal and theoretical insights into the use of the research interview to explore the meaning of witnessed resuscitation from the perspectives of emergency department registered nurses and ambulance staff who have experienced this situation. The discussion focuses on the decisions and actions taken by the researcher to enhance the nature and quality of interviews and offers a step-by-step guide to the practicalities of interviewing. The interview process is theorised and discussed in the tradition of hermeneutic enquiry.