Which of the following stages is NOT recognized as a stage of accepting impending death?

The stage referred to as "Checking out" is not a widely recognized part of the stages of accepting impending death, as established by the renowned work of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Her model identifies five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Each of these stages describes a typical way people may respond to grief or the prospect of dying.

"Denial" involves rejecting the reality of one's situation, "Anger" expresses frustration and helplessness, "Bargaining" reflects attempts to regain control or negotiate for more time, "Depression" encompasses deep sorrow and withdrawal, and "Acceptance" denotes coming to terms with the situation.

While individuals may experience various responses when facing death, the term "Checking out" does not correlate with the established stages and lacks a conceptual framework within clinical or therapeutic settings. It is crucial to understand that the other stages serve to encapsulate a range of emotions and coping mechanisms that individuals can experience during such a profound and challenging time.