SUMMARY OF THESES AND DISSERTATIONS

Eros and thanathos in the life nurses’ experiences

Wiliam César Alves Machado¹                                                                                    

¹UNIPAC   

ABSTRACT                                                                                                                           
The study concerned with ten nurses memories about rising (EROS) and their experiences with death and dying (THANATOS), since the youngest age, passing through childhood, as students and later as professionals. The study’s nature is qualitative; OTTO RANK’s psychoanalysis is the theoretical reference, to support the analysis and discussion of nurses’ information. The method used to collect information, was life’s history with approach of anthropological psychoanalysis (Freud, Lévi-Strauss). The collected information led me to identify three nucleus of thought: PAST REMEMBRANCE, rising and dying in nurses experiences; PRESENT REMEMBRANCE, the care to terminal client; and FUTURE EXPECTATIONS, the existence continuity in the nurses conscience. The study’s conclusion indicates the confirmation of talk in respect to the consulted authors’ position, having a flagrant link connection among rising, death and transcendence. Evidence that gives me the opportunity to suggest that, at nursing courses, questions about rising, dying and transcendence may be better broached. It opens a new way to investigate death and it doesn’t end here, just begins a line of research, at psychoanalysis or anthropology used at nursing. Looking for a new way to comprehend death through transcendence, in accordance with STANISLAW GROF’s transpersonal psychology conceptions.                                                                                                                   
Key-words: Rising – Death – Transcendence – Nursing Care – Near-death Situations; near-death experience

This abstract is part of a doctoral theses presented UFRJ,  Brazil, 1996. 

Received:02/20/2002
Accepted: 03/11/2002