Four years ago I started a thread in the Neuro ICU nurses' forum about nurses speaking to the brain dead (you can view it here). I researched the topic for a Masters, and found the process really rewarding; my thinking on the topic was certainly informed by the responses of nurses to the thread, and I'm delighted that members still post on it from time to time.
I'm now building on that research by investigating why funeral industry workers and health care providers, particularly nurses, who talk to their patients while performing death work do so.
I'm conducting the research through a combination of interviews and written narratives, and if anyone's interested in participating or learning more I'd love to hear from you, just IM me.
I've started this thread, though, to see what you all think about the practice. Do you do it? Do your colleagues? Have you seen doctors or orderlies or anyone else do it? Do you deliberately not talk? Anything anyone think is interesting or routine about death work - I want to hear it!
I'm now at the recruiting stage of my research - if anyone's interested in writing a (brief, if you like!) narrative about their practice of talkign to the dead whle performing deathwork I've love your participation! Obviously I need consent, so please send me an IM or email and I'll send you information about the project, institution, ethics committee contact details, a plain language statement and consent form. If you're not interested in participating in the research but would like to comment on the topic in this thread, please feel free to do so :)
Specializes in ICU, Home health/hospice/infusion, CM.
i have been a trauma/sicu nurse and i always spoke to my dead patients while performing post mortem care. i believe the soul can hear us after it departs the body and it should be recognized and assured the mortal body is being cared for. i encouraged families to speak to them as well.
if a patient had been pronounced brain dead i would ask the family what their belief system was and honor that. i encouraged them to talk to the body as it was being prepared for removal of life support if they wished.
i have more recently been a hospice nurse and all my nurses spoke to the bodies while perfomring care. again, i feel the soul is around and takes comfort in these "rituals" we do. i had a family that did not want the body removed from the house for a while so they could all talk to her and sing for a while. death is another part of the life cycle and needs as much care as any other part. i will tell you it is also one of the hardest things to do, that is die.
so please, keep on talking to those bodies and especially the ones actively dying.
talaxandra
3,037 Posts
I'm now at the recruiting stage of my research - if anyone's interested in writing a (brief, if you like!) narrative about their practice of talkign to the dead whle performing deathwork I've love your participation! Obviously I need consent, so please send me an IM or email and I'll send you information about the project, institution, ethics committee contact details, a plain language statement and consent form. If you're not interested in participating in the research but would like to comment on the topic in this thread, please feel free to do so :)