A Thematic Literature Review: The Importance of Providing Spiritual Care for End-of-Life Patients Who Have Experienced Transcendence Phenomena.
Kathleen Broadhurst, Ann Harrington
The American journal of hospice & palliative care July 12, 2015 DOI: 10.1177/1049909115595217 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Humans Palliative care Terminal care Spirituality End-of-life experiences Deathbed communication Deathbed phenomena Deathbed visions Existential/spiritual well-being Transcendence experiences |
| Key findings | The review identifies four themes—spiritual comfort, peaceful calm death, spiritual transformation, and unfinished business—and argues that health care professionals should accept transcendence phenomena as spiritual experiences, though they struggle to provide spiritual care around them. It reports that such phenomena are not uncommon, frequently result in peaceful death, and often comfort the bereaved and assist grieving. |
Abstract
The purpose of this review was to investigate within the literature the link between transcendent phenomena and peaceful death. The objectives were firstly to acknowledge the importance of such experiences and secondly to provide supportive spiritual care to dying patients. Information surrounding the aforementioned concepts is underreported in the literature. The following 4 key themes emerged: spiritual comfort; peaceful, calm death; spiritual transformation; and unfinished business The review established the importance of transcendence phenomena being accepted as spiritual experiences by health care professionals. Nevertheless, health care professionals were found to struggle with providing spiritual care to patients who have experienced them. Such phenomena are not uncommon and frequently result in peaceful death. Additionally, transcendence experiences of dying patients often provide comfort to the bereaved, assisting them in the grieving process.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Fear, Pain, Denial, and Spiritual Experiences in Dying Processes American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® August 21, 2017
- End-of-life experiences: a multicenter longitudinal study on characteristics and prevalence in terminally ill patients. BMC Palliative Care July 23, 2026
- Near-Death and Other Transpersonal Experiences Occurring During Catastrophic Events. The American journal of hospice & palliative care June 1, 2017