title: The dying person: an existential being until the end of life.
abstract: This article explores the experience of death from the perspective of existential philosophy, for the purpose of finding ways to humanize end-of-life nursing care. A person in his or her final days is seen by the caregiver as a being seeking the continual creation of his human becoming, from the experience of sickness to death. From the moment the torment of suffering begins, a person needs a presence of humanistic professionalism that embraces the values of the nursing profession.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing Sciences, Université Laval, Québec, Canada. mireille.lavoie@fsi.ulaval.ca
authors.forename: Mireille
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lavoie
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blondeau
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: De Koninck
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D006808:Humanism; D006801:Humans; D008093:Literature, Modern; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D010684:Philosophy