The experience of transitioning into life-sustaining treatment: A systematic literature review

Being informed about treatment options for kidney failure and included in the related decision-making process can facilitate a smooth transition. Among patients with kidney failure the initiation of kidney failure replacement therapy is considered a traumatic event, causing physical and emotional distress and disrupting several aspects of one's social life. In order to ease the transition, health care personnel must ensure that the patient understands the parameters of each treatment option. It is imperative to increase the knowledge of patients' lived experiences around initiating kidney failure replacement therapy.

To explore how adults with kidney failure describe the lived experience of transitioning into life-sustaining kidney failure replacement therapy.

A systematic review of qualitative literature.

Primary qualitative studies published in English between 2010 and 2020 from CINAHL, PubMed and PsycINFO were included. Content analysis summarised the patients' lived experience.

From 959 records screened, 17 studies were eligible for inclusion. A total of 5 themes that described the patients' lived experience were identified: an existential transformative feeling, a change in quality of life, limitation, safety, and ambivalence.

Being prepared and receiving emotional, physical, and social support can ease the transition for the patient. Among all available treatment options, dialysis and transplantation, the transition into kidney failure replacement therapy is experienced as a life-changing event. With this knowledge, it is imperative to clarify the importance of providing a patient with adequate support during the transition.