Nursing Implications for the NDE Patient

[sgrenard]

The following paper appeared last month in a mainstream nursing journal. The abstract is forwarded below:


J Adv Nurs 2001 Nov;36(4):520-6

Near death experience: a concept analysis as applied to nursing.

Simpson SM.

Clinical Nurse Educator, Parkview Health, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA.

Near death experience: a concept analysis as applied to nursing Background. A concept is a thought or complicated mental illustration of a phenomenon. Concepts are essential in research development as they are described as the building blocks of theory. The occurrence of near death experiences (NDEs) is not an innovative subject. Parallels have existed as early as the Bible and Plato's Republic. The NDE was given further consideration in 1975 by Dr Raymond Moody who initiated an interest from the general public and researchers alike, with his book Life after Life. Method. This paper will use the strategy of concept analysis to find a working definition for the concept of the NDE and the implications it has for nursing. Conclusion. This paper will attest that the number of people who have claimed to have a NDE is phenomenal and overwhelming. In addition, it claims that the numbers of those who have experienced this phenomenon may be underestimated because of the persons' feeling of insecurity in talking with others about their paranormal incident. Therefore, it is vital that nurses become aware of the NDE and how to support the client who has had the experience. The following paper will summarize the different stages of a NDE, the consequences that one experiences, both positive and negative, and nursing implications.

PMID: 11703546 [PubMed - in process]

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[Irishrose]

Steve

Does the article talk about how the nurses will be trained? I would like more info about this.

Irishrose

[sgrenard]

Yes according to the abstract. However I do not yet have the full text of the article. I am sending for it tomorrow throuh our medical library. Ill let you know more when I get it.

[Irishrose]

O.K. Thanks:D

Irishrose

[spiritseek]

I remember a private duty case I had with one patient who started out the night quiet, then later talked all through the night to his (deceased) relatives, seeming to look right at them, and follow them with his eyes throughout the room from person to person.

I had the creepy feeling in the dark of night, in that room with him that we were not alone!

In the morning I gave report to the oncoming nurse who regularly took care of him, and asked if he spoke to these unseen people often, and found out he hadn't done this before.

Later that morning he passed on.

If I had received any prior training on patient's NDE's, it would have made a difference in how I handled his patient care that night, which may have helped enhance the quality of his final earth moments.

[Betty]

My father-in-law spoke with his deceased wife and brothers before he passed. He would often say, not to sit on the bed because Clarence was there. We all thought it strange, but never said anything to him since it seemed to have a calming effect on him.

Now my 92 year old father is starting to do the same thing. He has had conversations with my deceased mother, which I don't see as unusual. He has also had conversations with people from his past. I'm not sure how dementia might fit in to this situation. But, he usually seems of clear mind and always tells me of these occurances.

[sgrenard]

One of the other moderators here sent me the following link from a British newspaper on this subject which is definitely worth a look:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,627166,00.html

Also: I did not get my hands on the paper mentioned but I received a copy of an older book by Bruce Greyson, M.D. and
Charles P. Flynn, pHD. Dr. Greyson was at Univ Michigan at the time and is now at Univ of Virginbia; Dr Flynn is at Miami Univ in Oxford, Ohio. (eds) pp. 288. 1984.

"The Near Death Experience - Problems, Prospects, Perspectives"
It is availale in softcover from the publisher on-line which is Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois. ($49.50 including postage and NY sales tax).

It is a multi-authored volume that I recommend to everyone but especially to health care professionals who want to learn to recognize this phenomenon and how to deal with it.

One of the chapters is by Anthony Lee, editor of RN Magazine:
"The Lazarus Syndrome: A Care Plan for the Unique Needs of those who've 'Died."" There is also a chapter by Kim Clark, an MSW titled "Clinical Interventions with Near Death Expriences."
There is also a lengthy chapter by a skeptic presenting a case for natural causation for NDEs which is instructive in differentiating between "genuine" and what might otherwise be considered normal responses to a near death experience.

[PsyQuestor]

Originally posted by sgrenard
Yes according to the abstract. However I do not yet have the full text of the article. I am sending for it tomorrow throuh our medical library. Ill let you know more when I get it.

I'll be looking forward to reading it.

Back in '93 when I was studying for my BS, we discussed the NDE experience in both our clinical instruction and in our ethics class. We were taught to be very sympathetic and listen ( and at times log ) the patients NDE. Our instructor said that the patient will need to express and tell all about the experience, and as nurses we need to be supportive, patient and listen. We also discussed at length the transformation these people tend to have after a NDE. Almost always very postive :D

Thought I'd throw that in, as it isn't a new concept ( for nurses to listen attentively about NDE's ). At least our instructors at LSSU were up on it.

Tammy