Applying Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring to Situate Caregiver Accounts of End-of-Life Experiences Within a Caregiving Context

Abstract

End-of life-experiences, including profoundly meaningful dreams, visions, and sensations, may be experienced by caregivers at the time of a patient’s death, yet few caregivers feel comfortable discussing these experiences with colleagues or other members of the care unit. This article presents findings from a descriptive qualitative study of end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and frames these experiences within Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring, which is a holistic approach to health care that emphasizes the transpersonal caring relationship. Watson’s Theory is particularly useful for framing end-of-life experiences in a caregiving context as it avoids debates about the nature of these experiences and emphasizes their therapeutic value in human caring. This article also argues that it is time for open discussions about end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and what they might teach us about death and dying.