Therefore, in the face of patient uncertainty owing to
insufficient knowledge regarding their condition, medical
staff should provide timely and relevant treatment information
to relieve treatment decision-making uncertainty and
anxiety (Mishel et al. 1991).
Decision-making is a complex process of explanation,
sequential thinking and sorting out resources undergone
when confronting problems. It is also a kind of activity that
can be accomplished only after a multiple-step process of education to patients. The authors thus developed a set of
guidelines for interactive patient education multimedia DVDs
focused on enhancing patient knowledge and informed
decision-making, reducing stress and uncertainty. This study
explored the effects of using an interactive patient education
multimedia DVD on ESRD patients’ knowledge, uncertainty
and therapy decision-making.