[Dying well seen in the light of self-transcendence and transition : two theories of care helpful to nurses].

Accompanying a dying person up to and at the actual moment of death is a duty that often leaves carers at a loss. We shall show how far theoretical nursing knowledge can help practitioners who accompany the end of life by applying two theories of care : Reed’s theory of self-transcendence and Meleis’s theory of transition. Our interpretation of the theory of self-transcendence designates three points of reference in the concept of dying well. The first relates to the overtures prompted by the vulnerability that the context of dying inspires. The second concerns the capacity of the patient to summon up intrapersonal, interpersonal and transpersonal strategies, and the third considers the benefits when self-transcendence is achieved. The theory of transition similarly presents three points of reference. The first is based on informing the patient about palliative care and telling him or her the truth about the prognosis. The second relates to coordinating the interprofessional team that is looking after the dying person. The last criterion is that the palliative care should be started at a suitable moment. This makes it possible to educate a patient who wishes to die at home and thus create an environment favourable to the transition.