• Pei C Grant, Kathryn Levy, Jonathan L Rossi, and Tahleen A Lattimer.
• Phronesis Consulting, LLC, Clarence, New York, USA.
• J Palliat Med. 2023 May 1; 26 (5): 684689684-689.

AbstractBackground: 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. Objectives: To explore the perspectives of multidisciplinary hospice care providers who are ELDV subject matter experts. Design/Methods: Semi-structured interviews with 13 multidisciplinary hospice providers were conducted and analyzed using thematic qualitative analysis. Results: Analysis revealed six themes: Normalization, Rapport Building, Active Listening, Individualized Meaning Making, Barriers, and Education. A secondary thematic analysis focused on defining/describing ELDVs and resulted in two themes: Natural Part of Dying and ELDV Properties. Conclusions: 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.

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