End-of-Life Dreams and Visions: Initial Guidelines and Recommendations to Support Dreams and Visions at the End of Life.

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> End-of-life dreams and visions (ELDVs) are a common phenomenon in which dying patients experience dreams/visions often of deceased loved ones before death. Past research has highlighted the need for education and awareness to improve clinical engagement at the bedside in response to ELDVs. <b><i>Objectives:</i></b> To explore the perspectives of multidisciplinary hospice care providers who are ELDV subject matter experts. <b><i>Design/Methods:</i></b> Semi-structured interviews with 13 multidisciplinary hospice providers were conducted and analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Analysis revealed six themes: <i>Normalization</i>, <i>Rapport Building</i>, <i>Active Listening</i>, <i>Individualized Meaning Making</i>, <i>Barriers</i>, and <i>Education</i>. A secondary thematic analysis focused on defining/describing ELDVs and resulted in two themes: <i>Natural Part of Dying</i> and <i>ELDV Properties</i>. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Findings identified facilitators and barriers encountered when caring for a patient with ELDVs. Based on this, an initial set of recommendations for meaningful clinical engagement regarding ELDVs and initial operationalized definition has been proposed.