This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Google Scholar Articles by Aylor, A. L. Articles by Grimes, G. C. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Aylor, A. L. Articles by Grimes, G. C. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

End-of-Life Review

Department of Family Medicine, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Amarillo, Texas, alaylor{at}swmail.sw.org

Gil C. Grimes, MD

Department of Family Medicine, Scott & White Memorial Hospital, Amarillo, Texas

Context: The term "End-of-Life Review" is often used by hospice workers in the context of spiritual apparitions or visitations prior to a patient's death. A review of the literature reveals no clear definition or categorization of this expression.

Objective: The aim of this study is to define the term "End-of-Life Review". Design: The study was performed using the Delphi method.

Setting/participants: A panel of interested parties was recruited from October 2006 to January 2007.

Intervention: Respondents were first asked to list their most common experiences associated with the term "End-of-Life Review," and then to rate each item as to how well it represented their understanding of this term. This process continued until subsequent rounds produce little change in the ranking of each item, suggesting a consensus. Conclusions: The term "End-of-Life Review" is a constellation of behaviors ranging from visitations from the departed to spiritual apparitions prior to death.

Key Words: End-of-Life Review • Delphi method • spiritual apparitions

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?