Near-death experiences (NDEs), defined as reports of unusual memories associated with a period of unconsciousness during life-threatening illness, injury, or resuscitation from cardiac or respiratory arrest, have been an area of research in psychology and psychiatry since 1975. The prevalence of the phenomenon among patients who have experienced cardiac arrest ranges from 3.6 to 23%, and 43–48% of adults and 85% of children with life-threatening illnesses may have experienced an NDE.
From the perspective of survivors, the occurrence of NDEs results in positive consequences such as a more charitable life, spiritual growth, search for meaning in life, less materialistic values, or decreased fear of death. From a scientific perspective, some scientists have interpreted NDEs as delusions that a person experiences during cardiac or cerebral arrest as a result of certain electrical waves released in the dying brain. Others have argued that these theories are not based on sound scientific foundations and that many observations can disprove these theories. Since different studies have reported conflicting results with no consensus regarding NDEs, more evidence needs to be sought in different populations and diseases or causes to improve our understanding of this phenomenon.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was first reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. One of the unique cases reported during this outbreak was a Saudi nurse who contracted MERS-CoV at 32 weeks of pregnancy and suffered an NDE. The 33-year-old woman, a critical care nurse, delivered her baby via emergency cesarean section despite respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation and admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). The newborn was kept in the neonatal unit for observation and was fed formula instead of breast milk. Repeated PCR testing of nasopharyngeal swabs showed consistently negative results for MERS-CoV. However, despite this positive outcome for the child, the mother’s health was severely compromised as she suffered from a NDE in addition to MERS-CoV. Years after this physical and emotional ordeal, the mother agreed to present her case as a narrative study.
According to Sabom (1982), NDEs are divided into three types: out-of-body; transcendental, involving a shift in consciousness to another dimension; and a combined experience. In the case of this study, the patient reported that she had experienced all three types of NDEs, finding herself in a desert or a white palace, all the while searching for her son. This suggests that the patient was somewhat conscious during the NDE and, even while moving from one dimension to another, was constantly thinking about her son, who was born while his mother was unconscious in the intensive care unit. She also dealt with persistent hallucinations, neuropathy, and post-intensive care syndrome.
The patient also experienced what is called an aftereffect of the NDE, which is a change in beliefs and values. She began to live a more altruistic life and to seek interest in the meaning of life, while her materialistic values decreased and her interest in traveling and exploring the world increased. At the same time, the patient re-evaluated the value of her family and those who supported her during the long process of recovery. The overall experience of the Saudi patient, reinforced by previous cases, suggests that although NDE survivors usually recover over time, certain fears still remain with them throughout their lives, which are not necessarily related to the NDE, but will always have a subtle connection.
Another unique contribution of this study is the methodology used to analyze the qualitative data. William Labov’s model of narrative analysis allowed us to focus on the oral narrative of the participant. According to Labov, observing and recording sound changes is not enough to understand the process of change: one must view these changes in the context of the community in which they occur, as they occur. This story thoroughly investigates a narrative within the domain of individual interaction, dissecting it across six categories essential for development, presentation, and interpretation: abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution, and coda. This study was a truly unique experience for Saudi healthcare providers and the use of novel data analysis methods for the region.