Knowing that life is coming to an end must be one of the most heartbreaking feelings. Death is something most of us don’t like to talk about, but for nurses who work with dying patients, it is part of everyday life. One nurse has now revealed something that some might find odd: a common movement made by those who are close to dying.

Katie Duncan from Maryland in the United States has spent many years working with seriously ill patients. She has worked in intensive care units, home hospice care, and other healthcare settings where patients are nearing the end of life.

Today, she also describes herself as a “death care coach.” Her goal is to help people feel more comfortable talking about death – something many people find difficult.

Duncan wants to help families feel more at peace when discussing end-of-life care, while also ensuring patients feel safe and comfortable during their final days.

Through her work, she has noticed that certain things tend to happen again and again when someone is close to death. One of the most common things she notices is a particular movement patients sometimes make.

Many patients suddenly lift their arms and reach towards the sky. In some cases, it looks like they are stretching their hands toward the ceiling.

End-of-life nurse reveals movement people make that indicate they are close to death

Sometimes it even appears as if they are trying to grab something that no one else in the room can see. Duncan states it can look very similar to someone reaching out to hold another person’s hand.

“In my personal experience working with people who are dying, this reaching towards someone or something above them is really common,” she explained in a TikTok video. “You will literally see the person reach up, and almost look like they are trying to touch someone or hold someone’s hand.”

She added that these moments can sometimes occur when patients report seeing something.

“Sometimes this is associated with what we call end-of-life visions or other end-of-life experiences – when someone will actually vocalize that they are seeing someone or something.”

The nurse continued by explaining that many people who work in hospice care have reported seeing similar things. According to her, why they are reaching upward is sometimes connected to the visions people describe as they approach death.

“It’s one of those mystical parts”

For example, some people say they see a bright light or even an angel shortly before they pass away.

“Very commonly, it is a loved one or family member or pet, someone who has died before,” Katie Duncan continued. “And the person who is dying is vocalising that they’re seeing this person.”

During her career, Duncan says she has seen the movement many times while caring for people in their final days.

“It’s one of those mystical parts of the dying process that we are able to be a witness to,” she said.

The end-of-life nurse also stated that most patients appear calm when it happens.

“Most commonly, the person does not appear to be in pain or distress, and we also know that other end-of-life visions and experiences tend to bring the dying person a lot of peace and comfort,” she concluded.