What Are Ethical Issues When Honoring an Older Adult's Decision to Withdraw from Dialysis?

Over the next decade, nephrology nurses will witness a continual growth of older adults undergoing hemodialysis. At some point after initiating dialysis, some people will request withdrawal from dialysis, which can present ethical challenges for nurses as they engage in shared decision-making with the patient, family, and other healthcare professionals. This article presents an older adult's story from initiation of dialysis to withdrawal from dialysis and discusses an approach to address ethical issues related to withdrawal from dialysis.