Table 2 Individual counseling for climacteric stage women

1) Evaluation of the current status of women (physical, emotional, cognitive, etc.) within their social environment

   • The nurse and the woman collaboratively assess the woman's health and health-related self-care practices (diet, leisure time physical activity, use of screening services).

   • The nurse provides relevant information on climacteric self-care: a) explains the definition of the climacteric stage and menopause and health problems the woman may experience during and after the climacteric stage; b) describe the factors (activities) that cause or protect against the occurrence of such problems; c) answers the woman's questions.

2) Facilitation of the woman's recognition of her personal health risks and responsibility for health-related self-care

   • The nurse guides women on specific personal health-related values, beginning with the question: What health would you like to have in the next 10 years?

3 and 4) Guidance on the health-related goal setting and elaboration of a feasible action plan for women's self-care

   • The nurse guides women to choose their personal health-related self-care goals.

   • The nurse guides women to choose strategies/actions to overcome barriers, using the problem-solving model.

   • The nurse facilitates the agreement of women to carry out the action plan.

   • The nurse and women jointly assess the level of womens' self-efficacy regarding the achievement of the agreed actions (on a scale of 0 to 10).

5) Monitoring of the progress of the action plan

The nurse and women jointly:

   • Evaluate progress in achieving the health-related goals and specific actions for development and maintenance of healthy behaviors.

   • Resolve problems related to barriers for implementing the action plan, translating such barriers in the "learned lessons."