Problem solving
Problem solving means knowing what to do when something goes wrong. It may include everything from what to do in an emergency to how to handle the small details of your diabetes care.
What would you do if your blood sugar was suddenly too high or too low? Do you know what changes to make in your diabetes care if you get the flu? What if you have trouble sticking with your meal plan? Here are five problem-solving steps that will help you handle any issue that comes your way.
Step 1: Identify the problem- Be as specific as you can. Use examples if possible.
- What are your thoughts about this? How does the issue make you feel?
- What does the issue mean to you? How important is it to you?
- What do you want to happen?
- What are your options?
- What are barriers for you?
- Who could help you?
- What are the costs and benefits of each of your choices?
- What would happen if you do not do anything?
- What are some steps you could take?
- Are you willing to do what you need to do to solve this problem?
- What are you going to do?
- When are you going to do it?
- How will you know if you have succeeded?
- How did it go?
- What did you learn?
- What barriers did you encounter?
- What, if anything, would you do differently next time?
* Copyright ©2004 American Diabetes Association, From Clinical Diabetes®, Vol. 22, 2004; 123-127, Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association. Adapted with permission: Funnell MM, Anderson RM: Empowerment and self-management education. Clinical Diabetes 22:123-127, 2004.
