Terminal care of the ESRD patient foregoing life-sustaining dialysis therapy

Care of patients who decide to forego life-sustaining therapy, including dialysis, constitutes a meaningful challenge. Comprehensive discussion between care providers, the patient, and/or the patient's surrogate to facilitate patient/family decision making requires time, patience, honesty, and empathy. Management of the patient and support of the family after the decision can be very rewarding to care providers.