Biomaterial Database

Existentialism as a theoretical basis for counselling in psychiatric nursing. 1989

P Burnard

Counselling is increasingly described in the literature as an important part of the psychiatric nurse's role. Often, the type of counselling described in that literature is of the client-centered type developed by Carl Rogers. This report outlines the philsophical position known as existentialism and offers suggestions as to how that philosophy may be used to develop a more vigorous and more egalitarian approach to counselling in nursing.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011568	Psychiatric Nursing	A specialty concerned with the application of psychiatric principles in caring for the mentally ill. It also includes the nursing care provided the mentally ill patient.	Mental Health Nursing,Nursing, Psychiatric,Psychosocial Nursing,Nursing, Mental Health,Nursing, Psychosocial
D003376	Counseling	The giving of advice and assistance to individuals with educational or personal problems.
D005086	Existentialism	Philosophy based on the analysis of the individual's existence in the world which holds that human existence cannot be completely described in scientific terms. Existentialism also stresses the freedom and responsibility of the individual as well as the uniqueness of religious and ethical experiences and the analysis of subjective phenomena such as anxiety, guilt, and suffering. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 8th ed.)	Existential Psychology,Psychology, Existential
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D012380	Role	The expected and characteristic pattern of behavior exhibited by an individual as a member of a particular social group.	Role Concept,Concept, Role,Concepts, Role,Role Concepts,Roles
D012648	Self Care	Caring for self when ill or positive actions and adopting behaviors to prevent illness.	Self-Care,Care, Self