Death and the Soul

[dream'n]

This is a bit of a weird question, but I'm trying to be more active within the Allnurses community and well, I'm curious. Hope it isn't too metaphysical or philosophical.

I am currently reading a book and it discusses, among other things, organ donation procedures. The writer is not in the healthcare field, but has researched the topic and observed donations in the OR. The author writes that many nurses involved in organ recovery told her that when the patient's heart is removed, they have at times 'felt' the release of the soul from the patient which confused me.

Now, I have experienced quite a few patient deaths over the years and do understand the feeling she describes. I also know that other nurses have felt it too, since I've discussed it over the years with several colleagues. But all of the deaths I have been present at have been natural. I've never had a brain-dead patient being kept (not sure how to say this) 'alive' by artificial means before the 'plug is pulled' or organ recovery was done in the OR.

All the above brings me to my question. To the nurses that have taken care of brain-dead patients artificially being kept 'alive' for whatever reason: do you feel that the soul/energy/Chi, etc is still present and leaves when the artificial means of life support are discontinued or do you feel like the soul is gone already with the brain-death and the body is just a shell?

[James W.]

Prior to undertaking nursing training,

I had been witness to the moment of death,

many times, from childhood farmyard animal

killings - through animal hunting,

& accidental road deaths - strangers & friends.

I was freaked a bit, as a child, & then later when

killing by my own hand, & also when feeling useless

to affect/stop the process in an accidental situation.

I can't say I felt a soul, but the body does react..

both mine & those who were very near death..

I'd say this previous 'demystification' helped me

develop a 'professional' outlook to manage deathly

incidents in my role as nurse, with the unexpected,

VS timely, being a caveat, of course..

However, as to the O.P. question, I have tried to

'sense' the 'soul passing' as a matter of interest..

I have always been devoid of a 'supernatural belief'

values system so it was more of a curiosity, esp'

having had a 'near-death' experience myself..

But no, I was unable to 'feel' anything but the natural

expected post-cessation of vital signs processes..

..with one exception..

Working in a private medical hospital which was a

defacto hospice, having a contract with the state

base hospital to take terminal cases ( so as not

to have them on mortality stats) I was as night-charge,

able to catch a few zzzzz.. (while on call, with a pager)

One night, during that strange 'sleep paralysis' feeling,

when you are not certain that you are awake, but your body

isn't - or if you are actually dreaming - that you are right there..

I felt a vivid sensation of the 'souls' of those who'd died there

rushing past, akin to standing at a railway platform as an

express train booms by..

Being a natural sceptic, I rationalized this weird experience as

being an artifact of tiredness, with an overlay of sub-aware

cognitive dissonance/tension for being 'asleep on duty', which

previously was - a def' no-no, through most nursing duties..

[dream'n, BSN, RN]

I've finished the book and highly recommend it if anyone is interested. It's called 'Stiff: The Curious Lives of Cadavers' and the author is Mary Roach. Although the subject matter of dead bodies is somewhat off putting, the author has an irreverent style and I learned quite a lot. (And no, I'm not related to or know the author :))

[Davey Do]

I've finished the book and highly recommend it if anyone is interested. It's called 'Stiff: The Curious Lives of Cadavers' and the author is Mary Roach. Although the subject matter of dead bodies is somewhat off putting the author has an irreverent style and I learned quite a lot. [/quote']

Me too, dreamin'.

I found

to be the humanized version of