Do you believe in life after death?

HHRNurse · Oct 11, 2010

I definitely believe in life after death. I have been with too many patients at the time of their death and could literally feel their soul leave this earth. Nothing left in the bed but a empty shell. I've seen too many patients taling about their loved ones who died years ago. Yes I definitely believe in life after death.

AtlantaRN, RN · Oct 11, 2010

yes. I've seen too many patients speak to deceased loved ones. I've had patients tell me, "there is an angel at the foot of my bed that tells me i'll be going soon...." These are not delerium patients.

ErinS, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2010

I would actually say that nearly all my patients who are still able to communicate in any way at the end of life report or seem to interact with people no one else can see, and this is usually in a very peaceful, joyous, happy way. I absolutely believe there is something after this life. I even had a patient who saw her cat who had been dead for 20 years. She was developmentally delayed, but that cat was real to her- we had to get it dishes for food and water and a litter box!

Piecukonis · Oct 12, 2010

Thank you for the replies. This is all very interesting and very comforting. I actually have been feeling more at peace since my grandma has been talking about her mom and dad and brothers all visiting with her.

Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN · Oct 12, 2010

Oh yes! Like the others said, I've been with too many people at the end of their life and hearing them tell of loved ones who are there. You can literally "feel" the soul leave the body at death. It is an honor for me to be with these folks when they go.

Blackcat99 · Oct 13, 2010

Yes, I believe in life after death. When I worked in Hospice, I remember the look in the patient's eyes at the time of death. I remember this one lady specifically who had a very pleasant and very surprised look in her eyes at the time of death. I felt like she must have recognized a dead relative whom she deeply loved.

annacnatorn · Oct 13, 2010

Oh yes! Like the others said, I've been with too many people at the end of their life and hearing them tell of loved ones who are there. You can literally "feel" the soul leave the body at death. It is an honor for me to be with these folks when they go.

Ditto Hospice Nurse LPN! I could not agree with you more! An Honor AND a Privilege. I can't wait to get back in the saddle again. Hopefully I will be released by the MD in Jan!

blueheaven · Oct 17, 2010

I had a coworker who had a massive MI and was dying from heart failure. She was in the ICU and we would have long talks at night about coworkers (lol), God and everything else. She did not want a funeral and she didn't want her obit in the paper.

I was scheduled a weekend off and I felt she wouldn't last the weekend. We said our tearful goodbyes (we both knew) and I told her I would see her Monday. Saturday night @ 1:30am I had a dream about her. She came to my house (in the dream) and told me that she had passed. I got back to work on Mon and found out that the exact time I saw her in my dream was the time that she died!

Really and truly, I feel that those who have passed come to give comfort to loved ones who are in the process of transitioning.

MrDave · Nov 3, 2010

I just wanted to say thank you to all the wonderful hospice nurses who have posted on this thread. I am leaving my job as a cop after this year with the hope of becoming a hospice nurse in the future. I started volunteering with a local hospice organization last spring and have found it immensely rewarding. It seems to me, as well, that being present and willing to help in the face of death is a tremendous honor and privilege.

Before joining the Force I was an infantryman in the Army, and spent a couple years in Iraq during the war. I'd like to think that my friends who were killed have found some type of peace on the other side, which perhaps elludes us all while still lumbering along here on earth :)