Table 3 The concept of the game of uncertainty
Game of chance | Competitive game | Collaborative game | |
|---|---|---|---|
Uncertainty | The patient assessed uncertainty to a greater degree than other players. Temporal focus: did not look forward. | The players assessed the level of uncertainty differently. | The patient’s understanding of uncertainty was shared with other players. Temporal focus: the future. |
Participants’ roles | Patient fighting alone against Nature. | Two sides, in which one of the sides saw Nature as an opponent. | All players were teammates, either aligning against Nature or not feeling threatened by it. |
Level of patient participation | Low: the patient received information, was less active. Health professionals set goals for care. | Varied: depended on which side of the game the patient took. Difficult to agree on goals for care. | Higher: the patient functioned as an equal player within the team. Easier to agree on goals for care. |