Nurse Reveals Three Common Phrases Patients Utter Before Passing Away
Kirstie Roberts, a 29-year-old nurse who has dedicated the last four years to working in intensive care units, has disclosed a profound observation from her experience with patients in their final hours. She describes a consistent pattern where individuals, regardless of their medical condition, express the same three phrases as they approach death.
The Three Universal Expressions
According to Kirstie, every patient she has witnessed passing away says, 'Can you please tell my family I love them?', 'I don't feel good', and 'I know I'm going to die'. She emphasizes that this phenomenon occurs even when vital signs appear stable and there is no immediate medical indication of imminent danger. Kirstie notes, 'There's nothing inherently dangerous that's screaming 'This is going to kill them.'' yet the patients seem to possess an innate awareness of their fate.
The Unexplained Spiritual Shift
Kirstie refers to this awareness as a 'spiritual shift' that happens in the last few hours of life, a change that defies medical explanation. Despite her extensive experience and the administration of treatments and tests, she has found no scientific rationale for how patients know they are about to die. She reflects, 'But how do they know? There's a shift that happens, that's spiritual – that nobody can explain.' This insight highlights the mysterious and often intangible aspects of the dying process.
Coping with Loss in Intensive Care
Dealing with patient deaths remains a challenging aspect of Kirstie's role. She shares that while it never becomes easy, nurses learn to cope by focusing on the care they provide and the relationships built with patients and their families. Kirstie states, 'Over time, you learn to accept it's a huge part of our reality in this setting, and we learn to cope with it by knowing the work we've done is enough.' She adds a personal perspective, emphasizing that life is inherently spiritual and encouraging gratitude and love.
Reactions from the Public and Peers
The revelation has sparked varied responses, with some expressing anxiety while others confirm similar experiences. Comments include one person saying, 'This is not helping with my anxiety,' and a former hospice nurse agreeing, 'As a former hospice nurse, she's right.' Another viewer noted, 'They always know,' and a fellow nurse affirmed, 'Fellow nurse, can confirm – amen sister.' A fifth comment shared a personal anecdote: 'My uncle knew, even though his vitals were good.' These responses underscore the widespread recognition of this phenomenon in medical and personal contexts.
