Burn Survivors’ Near-Death Experiences: A Qualitative Examination

Summary

People who survive catastrophic accidents sometimes report vivid experiences during times when survival was in doubt or during resuscitation. This qualitative study examines near-death experiences (NDEs) in a sample of burn survivors attending the World Burn Congress. Their accounts align with prior research while reflecting individual uniqueness. Six major themes emerged. Counselors and health professionals should be educated about NDEs, as these experiences can profoundly affect individuals. Patients may need to discuss NDEs but fear professionals will dismiss their stories.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Persons who come close to death but survive catastrophic accidents sometimes report very vivid experiences during times when their survival was in doubt, when they were believed to be dead, and during resuscitation efforts. This qualitative study builds upon existing research on near-death experiences (NDEs) by focusing on the oral accounts from a sample of individuals with large and life-threatening burns. The NDE accounts were obtained from burn survivors attending the Phoenix Society's World Burn Congress and are similar to reports by notable researchers ( Greyson, 2003 ; Moody, 1975 ; Ring, 1980 ) while reflecting the uniqueness of the individual survivor's experiences. Six major themes are reported. Counselors and health professionals need to be aware of and educated about NDEs as these experiences can have profound effects upon the individual. Patients who have had NDEs may need to discuss them but fear professionals will reject their stories as being crazy.