Rate yourself on skills for each GATHER step. Also, you can ask a colleague to watch you (with the client’s permission) and check your skills. Study tip: Try to improve one step each week for 6 weeks, until all steps are improved.

You can enter your ratings in the spaces provided below:
0 = Never  1 = Sometimes  2 = Often  3 = Always

These numbers can be added up for a total score and scores on each GATHER step.

Greet — Did you:
__ Welcome each client on arrival?
__ Meet in a comfortable, private place?
__ Assure the client of confidentiality?
__ Express caring, interest, and acceptance by words and gestures throughout the meeting?
__ Explain what to expect?

Ask — Did you:
__ Ask the client’s reason for the visit?
__ Encourage the client to do most of the talking?
__ Ask mostly open questions?
__ Pay attention to what the client said and how it was said, and follow up with more questions?
__ Put yourself in the client’s shoes—understand without expressing criticism or judgment?
__ Ask about feelings?
__ Ask the client’s preferences? (For example, what method?)
__ Find out about need for STD/HIV prevention?

Tell — Did you:
__ Start discussion with the client’s preference?
__ Tailor and personalize information?
__ Give information important to the client’s decision?
__ Avoid “information overload”?
__ Use words familiar to the client?
__ When discussing family planning methods, cover effectiveness, advantages and disadvantages, and STD protection?
__ Use samples, drawings, or other counseling aids?

Help — Did you:
__ Let the client know that the decision is hers (or his)?
__ Help the client identify the full range of possible choices?
__ Help the client think how the various choices would affect her or his own life?
__ Advise without controlling?
__ Let the client decide?
__ Ask the client to state her or his decision?
__ Reflect the client’s decision to confirm it?
__ Make sure the client’s choice is based on accurate understanding?
__ List any medical reasons for making a different method choice, and check if the client has any of these conditions?

Explain — Did you:
__ Provide what the client wants, if no medical reason not to?
__ For a family planning method, explain: How to use? Effectiveness? Side effects? Specific medical reasons to return?
__ Explain and show how to use the method?
__ Check the client’s understanding?
__ Ask for any questions?
__ Provide supplies?
__ Explain any printed instructions and give them to the client?
__ Discuss STD prevention, and give condoms if needed?
__ Discuss emergency oral contraception?

Return — Did you:
__ Plan the next visit, if needed?
__ Invite the client to come back any time, for any reason?
__ Refer the client for any care you cannot give?
__ Thank the client for coming and invite the client to send or bring others?