Near-death awareness (NDA) refers to visions and dreams commonly experienced by terminally ill individuals within months to hours before death.
Methods:
A case report of a 68-year-old Jamaican male diagnosed with advanced cholangiocarcinoma, who experienced visions of his deceased mother during hospitalization.
Results:
This article discusses how to differentiate NDA from delirium, core components for determining decisional capacity, and how clinicians can use a cultural guide to optimize patient-centered care.
Conclusion:
Improved recognition of NDA may promote cultural humility/competency and help to differentiate NDA from an underlying medical/psychiatric condition. It may assist the clinician in understanding the significance of NDA and the comfort and meaning these experiences may hold for both the individual and their family.
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