Looking after a loved one while they're receiving hospice care is incredibly challenging - though many feel thankful to see their relative or friend being looked after and at peace during their final moments.

However, others find it understandably difficult to remain present when a loved one dies - but one hospice nurse's insight into what people utter before passing might help cement your choice to stay by their side.

Julie McFadden ( @hospicenursejulie ) served as a hospice nurse for five years following more than a decade working in intensive care. She now uses social media to discuss her profession, aiming to inform people about death and how to prepare for it in advance.

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Speaking to The Sun, she disclosed some of the most frequent occurrences within hospice settings.

She explained: "The best part about my job is educating patients and families about death and dying as well as supporting them emotionally and physically.

"Also, helping them to understand what to expect is another part of my job as a hospice nurse."

Discussing people's final moments, she said: "There is something most people say before they die and it's usually 'I love you' or they call out to their mum or dad - who have usually already died."

She also recently explored some occurrences at life's end that appear 'abnormal,' but are 'actually really normal".

These include changes in breathing patterns, shifts in skin tone, 'terminal secretions' and temperatures, which individuals might not anticipate.

The seasoned nurse also revealed that most people naturally passing away in a hospice show the same signs and symptoms.

Julie said: "The symptoms of the actively dying phase include changes inconsciousness (unconscious), changes in breathing, mottling and terminal secretions.

"These are normal and not painful or uncomfortable. Our bodies take care of ourselves at the end of life - the less we intervene, the better."

The dedicated nurse has said she's glad she has a platform to inform people about death - and the crucial help that a hospice can provide an entire family.

"I want to normalise death by educating people about it. I went home to visit my family,and my tween nieces were on TikTok making dance videos," she said.

"I later went on TikTok to see their dances. This gave me the idea of starting my ownTikTok about death and dying, four days later I did it and it took off.

"I've been doing it for six months now and have over 340,000 followers - it's crazy!".