• Kathleen Broadhurst and Ann Harrington.
• School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia broa0077@flinders.edu.au.
• Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2016 Nov 1; 33 (9): 881-893.

AbstractThe 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.© The Author(s) 2015.

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