UNIT 5 GUIDANCE AND

COUNSELLING IN
NURSING EDUCATION
Structure
5.0 Objectives
5.1 Jntroduction
5.2 Concept of Guidance and Counselling
5.2.1 Definition and Meaning of Guidance
5.2.2 Definition and Meaning of Counselling
5.2.3 Relationship between Guidance and Counselling
5.2.4 Counselling and Tutoring
5.3 Purposes of Guidance and Counselling
5.4 Principles of Guidance and Counselling
5.5 Counselling in Nursing Education
5.5.1 Need for Counselling
5.5.2 Areas of Counselling
5.5.3 Counselling in Distance Education
5.6 Counselling Services
5.6.1 Purposes of Counselling Services
5.6.2 Objectives of Counselling
5.6.3 Types of Counselling Services
5.6.4 Resources for Counselling

5.7 Counselling Personnel/Programme

5.7.1 The Counselling Personnel
5.7.2 Functions of Counsellor
5.7.3 Attributes of a Counsellor

5.8 Let Us Sum Up

5.9 Answers to Check Your Progress

5.0 OBJECTIVES
- -
After studying this unit, you should be able to:
differentiate between the terms guidance and counselling;
state purposes of guidance and counselling;
explain the principles of guidance and counselling;
rationalize the need for counselling in nursing education;
describe the areas of counselling;
explain about counselling in distance education; ,
state the purposes and objectives of counselling services in school of nursing;
describe the types of counselling services;
enlist the resources and members of counselling; and
narrate functions and attributes of a counsellor.
 Guidance and Counselling
5.1 INTRODUCTION in Nursing Education

So far from Unit 1 to 4 of this block, you have gained knowledge about the
educational process, aims and philosophy; teaching-learning process and methods
and educational communication media. In this unit, we are going to familiarize you
with guidance and counselling; we shall also discuss why we need counselling in
nursing and nursing education.
From the time immemorial human beings have been taking help of their elders,
friends, and teachers in solving their problems. All of us irrespective of our age,
sex, and profession do come across certain situation when we require the help of
either experienced person or a professional. You must have also faced situations
where you might have felt the need or taking help from others. May be, before
entering into school/college of nursing i.e. soon after finishing your general

I schooling, you might have felt the need for receiving professional help from
someone, so as to choose an appropriate professional line for yourself or might
have felt in the nursing school at the time of completing your training for
placement.

Thus people have been taking advice to resolve their problems yet; expertise of
giving this has been missing. While most teachersltutors provide a high standards
of pupil care, it is also true that they are not trained counsellor. It requires special
knowledge. skill, and attitude to recognize the problem and help an individual.
Hence as a nurse educator you need to be trained to help your pupils solve their
problems.

5.2 CONCEPT OF GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING

The terms Guidance and Counselling have been used in different context and can
mean any thing from informal advice that is often given to close friends to formal
counselling undertaken by specially trained professionals. The nature of guidance
and counselling not only vary from the persons giving it but also depends on the
policies of the institutions.

5.2.1 Definition and Meaning of Guidance

Guidance means to guide, which means to direct or to lead, is concerned with the
best development of the student for ultimate development of the school. Guidance
is both a concept and a process:
a As a concept, guidance is concerned with the optimal development of the
individual including educational, vocational, personal, social, moral, physical.
etc. both for hisher own satisfaction and for the benefit of the society.

As a process, it includes the gathering of substantive knowledge of the

I development characteristics of an individual.
According to Hamrin "Guidance is helping John to see through himself in order to
litp- see himself through".
Jones (197 1) defined guidance as "the help given by one person to another in
making choices and adjustments and in solving problems. He has further defined it
by saying that it aims at aiding the recipient to grow in his independence and
ability to be responsible for himself '.

Many others accept this broader view of guidance and consider it as synonymous
with education. Thus guidance is a continuous educational process which goes on
from womb to tomb. In this context the tutor, the parent and the counsellor all
beco~llethe members of the oreanized guidance team.
Introduction to Nursing The concept of guidance assumes that all individuals have abilities to develop and it
Education is a professional service that is meant for all pupils and not just meant for deviants.

5.2.2 Definition and Meaning of Counselling

According to Cormier and Hackney (1987) counselling is defined as the "helping
relationship, that includes (a) someone seeking help, (b) someone willing to give
help who is capable or trained to help, (c) a setting that pennits help to be given and
received".
According to Vedanayagam ( 1988) "counselling is an accepting: trusting, and safe
relationship in which clients learn to discuss freely what upsets them, to define their
goals, to acquire the essential social skills and to develop the courage and self
confidence to implement desired new behaviour".
"Counselling is a specialized service of guidance and basically an enabling process.
designed to help an inditidual corne to terms with hindher life and prow to greater
maturity through learning to take responsibility and to make decisiolis for hirnself!
herself. .
Patterson (1967) has pointed out certain behaviour that is not synoliymous to the
process of effective counseliing. These are as under:

i) Counselling is not giving the information, t h o u ~ hinf(>mationlliny be prescnt.

ii) Counseliing is not giving an advice.

iii) Counselling is not the influencing of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour by

persuading, admonishing, threatening. or zompe!ling without the use of physical
force.

iv) Counselling is not the selection and assignment of individuals to jobs.

v) Counselli~gis I I O ~inteniswing. though intenliewing is involved.

5.2.3 Relationship between Guidance and Counselling

The terms guidance and coi:nselling, in some way or the other are related to each
other. They are similar in some ways and dissimilar in some other ways. Their
relationship is drawn as under:

1) Guidance is an organized service to identify and develop the potentialities of

pupils. Comprehensi;;e information about every (all the) pupil is collected with
the help of different tests,'tools, resources. which are recorded and inte~reted.
The findings are commu:licated to the individual to help thein to understand
themselves. Puplls are also given information about educational and vocational
opportunities available to them and are helped in their career planning and
development.
In couilsellii~gmorl often than not the informations are collected and shared
related to problem situations faced by the pupils. The individual is encouraged
to talk about her~l~isproblem(s). The colinsellor may also ask questions, seek
his/her views, and rnake observations. Inforn2ation sought through guidance
inakes the basis for counselling sessions. Based on the findings the individual
is encouraged lo make suitable decisions and t&e actions to solve the
problem(s). Thus, informations are gathered and shared in both the process
but two are no same.

2) Guidance is helping individual to develop hisher potentialities for all round

development whereas counselling helps individual to deal with complex
problem situations and make adjustment/adaptations if necessary to lead
useful life.
3) Guidance is promotive and preventive whereas counselling is therapeutic. Guidance and Counselling
in Nursing Education
4) Guidance can be given in any normal setting whereas counselling requires a
set up at a suitable place which provides privacy and wholesome environment.

5) Guidance may be done by any teacher or guiding person whereas counselling

can be done by skillful counsellor who has had professional training in
counselling.

6) Guidance is an integral part of education and assists in fulfilling in educational

aims and objectives in schooVcollege of nursing whereas counselling is
organised as a specialized services to deal with problem situations faced by
students and may be of teachers.

7) Guidance includes some degree of counselling to help students deal with their
day to day problems which is done by teachers, parents, significant others.
Counselling includes guidance of individual which is done by Counsellors while
helping students to solve their problems. This means there is over lapping and
misuse of the terms.
I

These distinctions are briefly presented in tabular form in Box 5.1.

5.2.4 Counselling and Tutoring

By now you must be wondering about difference in your role as a tutor and
counsellor. Yes, the two roles are very closely related to each other. A good tutor
needs to be a good guide and a counsellor. Infact, guidance and counselling of
students are a part of the responsibilities assigned to teachers in nursing schools and
colleges. Counselling skills need to be in the repertory of a good tutor. It will also be
helpful to see the difference between counselling tutoring.
Introduction to Nursing Tutoring - Subject-centered, a good talker is a good tutor.
Education
Counselling - Student-centered, a good listener is a good guide and a counsellor.

5.3 PURPOSES OF GUIDANCE AND

COUNSELLING
The purposes of Guidance and Counselling can be related to 1) Individual, and 2)
Society.
1) Individual Related Purposes

i) Students to recognize and develop their potentialities to achieve their

educational. aims and objectives and grow and develop academically.

ii) Students to know about vocational opportunities available nationally and

internationally and make choices considering their aptitude, interest,
scope, requirements for future growth.

iii) Help students for all round personal arid social development on the basis
of their abilities, interest and resources.

iv) Students to recognize their capacities, develop self confidence and adjust
to academic and schooling problems etc.
2) Society Related Purposes

i) To develop good citizenship in students.

ii) To develop positive attitude towards family life and community living.
iii) Proper utilization of resources.

5.4 PRINCIPLES OF GUIDANCE AND

COUNSELLING
So far you have learnt the concept of the term guidance and counselling and its
purposes. Now you will read about some of the essential principles that ought to
guide us in our role as a counsellor:
It is concerned with the 'whole' individual and not just with hislher intellectual
life alone.
o It is concerned with all, not only with special or problem students, therefore
have adequate evidence before designating a person as abnormal.
o It is concerned with developing student's self understanding and self
determination.
0 It recognizes the existence of individual differences, hence limits and problems
of each individual are different from one another.
 It accepts that problems have causes and are interrelated, so a deep Guidance and Counselling
knowledge of causes are essential. in Nursing Education

5.5 COUNSELLING IN NURSING EDUCATION

Now that you have learnt the concept of guidance and counselling, purposes and
principles of guidance and counselling, you must have realized the importance of
guidance and counselling in schools and colleges of nursing. This realization would
be better felt if you learn about the various aspects of counselling in nursing
education which are covered in this section.

5.5.1 Need for Counselling

Problems of adolescent and young adult students are more complex and varied.
Adolescent is considered as a period of stress and strain and full of turmoils. The
problems are multiplied because of unemployment, economic constraint of the
country, social expectations, breaking away of joint family systembroken families,
pressure of modem living and technological advances. In addition, the nursing
students are exposed to stress and strain due to:
Strenuous professional studies.
Clinical experience in varied settings dealing with people having numerous
physical and mental health problems.
Public dealings; dealings with other members of health team, supervisors, class
mates etc.
Introduction to Nursing Dual role of nurse and student.
Education
Living away from the families for the first time.
Living in the hostel mostly with modest facilities.
Varied socio-cultural and economic background of students having different
attitudes, beliefs and values.
. Low profile of nursing and attached stigma which still prevails in many
communities.
Therefore, nursing students who are 17 years and more may come across multiple
problems and need lot of guidance and counselling every now and then form their
teachers and parents and also at times professional counselling when they are not
able to handle situations and face adjustment problems.
Hence, there is a strong need for having guidance and counselling service in
nursing schools and colleges. Some of the problem incidents reported by student
. nurses are reproduced below which would help you to realize the need for
providing guidance and counselling services.
"On my first day in the school, I got a nice ragging. This was a great problem
for me in the beginning years of my training and made it difEicult for me to
adjust with my studies".
One staff nurse was very rude to the students. One day she scolded me in
front of patients by saying "Are you deaf, are your hands not working? You
are shirking from your work". All these made me take a vow that I will not
allow this to happen again. But this had an adverse effect on my studies.
The course is too demanding (money and efforts) I am leaving the course. .
Inspite of my working hard with the studies, I am getting low grades.
One day a patient was admitted to surgical ward as an old case of laparotomy
with fistula. He was in a serious condition. Every morning I used to regularly
provide care for about 2 hours including giving sponge and dressing.
The patient was not at all co-operative. He was in hospital for three months
and I was the only person to spend that much time for giving care to him. He
did not get bed sores. Though he was improving slowly day-by-day, always he
would scold me but I didn't mind. But one day he told me that he was not
improving because of the care I was giving him. This made me feel very bad
and depressed and I was not able to concentrate on my studies.
I was unable to practice what I was taught in theory. The.reasons are firstly
shortage of articles, secondly many students posted together in the same ward
and thirdly staff will not cooperate with us. One day when I was waiting for
my classmate to finish so that 1 could take the articles from her, at that very
moment, the staff blasted me for not doing my work. But when I explained to
her the reason, I was told that there was always a gap between theory and
practice; you have to complete your work, does it anyway. I was shocked and
prayed that I should not be caught by my tutor.
5.5.2 Areas of Counselling
In sub-section 5.5.1, you have learnt about the stressful and strenuous situation
which nursing students are exposed to and which can create various problems and
the need for guidance and counselling to help students to handle these situations
and problems. In this section you will learn about areas of counselling which are
classified on the basis of various problems and problem situations that can occur to
students in nursing schools/colleges.
These are presented in Fig 5.1, and are listed as under: Guidance and Counselling
in Nursing Education

Fig. 5.1: Areas covered through counselling process

1) Educational
2) Vocational
3) Health and Living Condition
4) Personal
5) Moral and Social
6) Leisure
These areas are inter-related and sometimes overlapping. We shall learn about each
of these areas so as to enable you to have better understanding of functions of a
counsellor. Let us start with educational counselling first.
1) Educational
In this area students may face various problems. Some of the sample problems are
given below:
I do not get enough time for self study;
I do not get opportunity to practice things taught in the classroom;
Too many assignments and te'sts are there;
I am too tired f?om ward duties to study;
Tutors are partial;
Patient care assignments are not clear;
It is difficult to tolerate unpleasant smell or sight.
The sample problems above make the need for counselling obvious for nursing
students. The educational counselling helps the pupil to get maximum benefit out of
education and solve their problems related to education, classroom, or clinical.
Specifically, the following functions are performed by the counsellor. He or she
helps thepupil to:
i) Orient them to new purposes and philosophy of nursing education.
iii Identify the need of educational planning.

mi Make an appraisal of their own abilities and interests.

iv) Develop study habits most appropriate to study of nursing.
Introduction to Nursing v) understand clinical field and methods of clinical learning.
Education
vi) Have functional knowledge of library and other facilities which are available to
them in a school of nursing and outside.
vii) Choose specialization~accordingto their needs and interests.
viii) Know about higher education and stimulate them to consider them carefully.
We next move on to the vocational area.
2 ) Vocational
This was the main area of the function of counselling in the past. There are various
vocational opportunities available, each of which makes different demands from
different individuals. Students may face number of probleins in this area. Some of
the sample problems in this area are:
a I do not like to work under certain staff nurse;
a I have too long working hours;
a I am not sure of my future;
a T do not have enough money to continue the course;
a I am not sure of the courses;
a I am doubtful of my professional growth.
a' 1 am not confident about myself.
1 am not able to decide about the kind of job tk take up.
Here, too you can surely make the need for counselling. The vocational counselling
assists students to select an occupation most suited to their abilities, interest and
aptitude. It helps them to prepare for it, enter it, and progress in it. It should begin at
+2 level in the secondary schools. . +
Specifically the following functions are performed:
i) To help the students to understand their abilities, interest, values, and goals.
ii) To provide information of occupations-rewards, conditions of employment,
' opportunities for advancement and requirement for success in it.
iii) To help them to know about the various programmes of financial assistance-
scholarships, fellowships-for improving their prospects.
We shall now go on to the area of health and living conditions.
3) Health and Living Conditions
Some of the problems which are faced by the students in this area include:
a Getting tired easily;
a Gettkg headache and cold easily;
a No special care in the hospital when sick;
a Preparation of food not satisfactory;
a Visitors are not allowed;
a Difficulty in adjustment to new foods, changing old food habits.
Counselling in the area of health and living conditions help students in taking care of
their health with their active participation and also make wholesome adjustments in
 the living environment available. Some of the specific functions performed by the Guidance and Counselling
counsellor in this area include: in Nursing Education

i) To develop referral services for health guidance-social, mental, and physical.

ii) To provide sex education.
iii) To help the authorities in the supervision and maintenance of proper sanitation
in and around the hostel, andlor to help authorities in providing satisfactory
living conditions along with the food to the students.

iv) To help students develop interest in games and other activities which will
promote health.

4) Personal
>

Every student faces certain personal problems about which slhe may be very
anxious. S h e generally try to cope up with the problem by herselffhimself.
Some of the sample problems in this area are as under:
1 lack courage and confidence;

. Something or the other worries me almost all the time;

I wish I were in the good books of my supervisors;
I am offended when I am corrected in front of others;
I feel lonely;
I am anxious about my future;

Teachers often taunt me;

I have no friends:

I feel a sense of inferiority;

Parents expect too much from me;

Going out with a person, my family will not accept;

Want love and affection from opposite sex;
Wonder if anybody will many me.

In personal counselling, the counsellor helps students to understand and solve the
problems. Some of the specific functions performed by the counsellor in this area
are as under:

i) Helps student to accept themselves and others;

-- ii) Provides at the right time, hints, or suggestions to improve personal

appearance.
iii) Helps pupils develop interpersonal skills.

iv) Provides advice on personal problems.

v) Provides marriage counselling.
5) Moral, Religious, and Social
Some of the sample problems under this area are:
Introduction to Nursing No time for religious worship;
Education
Do not go to a place of worship regularly;
Can't forget some mistakes I have made;
I have been told that I am dishonest at times;
I lack moral values.
Some of the functions performed by the counsellor in this area include:
i) Providing and developing learning experiences to inculcate right ideals and
' conduct of living.
ii) Providing training in correct social convictions.
iii) Enabling the pupils to inculcate and prioritize their values that would be
beneficial to them and the society.

6) Leisure

Pupils need opportunities of self expression in which they can try out their talents
and express themselves. Some students are shy and they need encouragement to
make proper use of their potentials and talents. Counselling function in the area
helps the pupil to find opportunities for creative use o f their leisure time.

Counselling Function in this Area: Provides opportunities-curricular, co-

curricular, extra-curricular, to develop their interest which provide avenues for
recreation.

Sample problems may be like:

No time for recreation;

Lack of facilities to learn handicrafts;

Limited opportunities for sports;

Unable to participate in school competitions.

In this section we have categorized different problems according to the area they
belong to; but we have said in the beginning itself that these problems are
interrelated and many a times overlap. Hence, the categorization is done only to
gain an insight into these problems and not label them.

5.5.3 Counselling in Distance Education

During your Post Basic B.Sc. Nursing course through distance education, at many
stages you might have felt the need of securing help fiom someone, for example
like having the need for face-to-face discussion on the assignment you have
submitted, not satisfied with the grade you have received on some assignment,
thinking of the employment value of this course, or because of change in your life
style, may be in dilemma to drop out of the course. All the help in such situations
can be given to you all by counsellors of this university, who are operating at
Regional Centres and Study Centres through face-to-face contact individually and
in group; letters, phones, audio-video cassette, radio and T.V. broadcast and
computers together with tele-conferencing conducted by IGNOU where we have
a two way audio and one way video and through EDUSAT two way video and
two way audio.
Counselling through variety of media in distance education help and guide students
in dealing with their varied problems.
 Guidance and Counselling
in Nursing Education

5.6 COUNSELLING SERVICES

In the previous section you have learnt about the need for counselling in nursing
education and the areas in which counselling is required and also counselliilg in
distance education. You may now be interested to know about the counselling
services which can be planned and organised by the school of nursing.
The counselling services need to be planned and organised within the policy frame
work and resources of institution. The services need to be co-ordinated well with
the resources and implemented effectively.
This section will help you to learn about the purposes, objectives of counselling

.
services, its types and the resources which can be used outside the school.

5.6.1 Purposes of Counselling Services

The purposes of organizing counselling services in the school/college of nursing are
as given below:

i) Promotion of normal development tofyoung nursing students.

ii) Prevent and protect students from developmental problems and turmoils.
iii) Provide appropriate services when requiredlfelt by the students to deal with
any problemlcrisis situation.

iv) Facilitate proper communication within and between the nursing schools,
home, the communities and resources.

v) Support tutors who help students and who may also need guidance and
counselling.
Introductionto Nursing 5.6.2 Objectives of Counselling
Education
The objectives of counselling services in schools/colleges of nursing may be as
given below:

i) To ensure wholesome personal, academic, and living environment in the

school.

ii) To establish effective communication system within the school.

iii) To make help and assistance available to the students when felt regarding
their developmental problems.

iv) To make help and assistance available to the students for coping with
temporary crisis.

v) To promote and do early detection of deviant/disturbecUproblembehaviour of

students.

vi) To establish referral services for specialist treatment for those who need it.
vii) To establish good working relationship with their nursing schools, hospitals,
home and ccmmunities.
viii) To make effective and appropriate use of resources available

ix) To provide supportive services to counsellors to be utilized in guidance of the

students.

5.6.3 Types of Counselling Services

The counselling services aims at developing pupils' self understanding, self
acceptance, and self confidence. It is a process by which an individual learns to be
independent, to make decisions, to live with a problem situation, and to face any
crisis situation. The following services are considered in a school of nursing for
fulfilling the objectives of counselling programme. Refer Fig. 5.2.

s@wb Orientation

& / Appraisal
service \
Developmental
Counseling I

Fig. 5.2: m e s of counselling

 ) Orientation Service Guidance and Counselling
in Nursing Education
It is meant to help the pupils become fully aware of herself and the new
environment (nursing school~hospital/cornmunity field) so that at the beginning of
schooVcollege career, they are oriented to the purpose, history, nature, and scope of
nursing education and nursing practice, besides being helped to acquaint herself
with library and other physical and facilities which are available for them in school /
college and outside it. After thls general orientation, sessions should be planned
when intensive guidance services are provided like "Improve Your Study Skills",
"How to take notes", "How to work in a community", "How to be an efficient
member of a health team", "How to cope up with the stress of ICCU" etc.

2) Appraisal Service

It is meant to gather, record, maintain, and use adequate information about each
pupil. The purpose of such a service is to help each pupil achieve her optimum
potential and for helping her to develop insight as she progresses through school.
The type of information collected includes information about herhis home,
education and occupation of parents. Information is also collected about pupil's
interest, abilities, aptitude, 'health and general behaviour pattern. This information is
collected from different sources such as pupil herself, family members, friends,
teachers, herhis previous school through the use of.interviews, questionnaire,
observation checklist, a necdotal record, problem checklist, records-school /
health, psychological tests. The information thus collected is recorded in a
cumulative record card (CRC) which is kept confidential. The cumrnulative record
is maintained by up-to-dating informationiachievement about the pupil in it. All the
staff members should be encouraged to practice in this service. Only reliable,
usable, and accurate information should be collected. The record should be clearly
maintained with updating.

3) Developmental Counselling

It helps individuals to:

i) achieve personal growth by making them aware of themselves and their

environment.

ii) set clear goals for future behaviour and methods of achieving these goals.

iii) develop positive attitudes, values, and morals.

4) Preventive Counselling

It helps an individual to prepare for future specific concerns such as failures in the
examinations, shock of not getting a job or admission, or delay in getting married.
This type of counselling is specially needed for educating students on the abuse of
drugs, suicide, and truancy.

5) Facilitative Counselling

It is also referred to as remedial or adjustive counselling which means to correct a

fault or an undesirable behaviour. All of us commit some fault or the other and
need help of someone.
6) Crisis Counselling

It helps an individual to overcome the effects of crisis situation such as loss of a

family-member, family conflict etc. These situations may affect the normal
behaviour of an individual and s h e may develop a feeling of anxiety, loss, remorse
or guilt. The counsellor helps the individual understand the situation and develop
new ~ a t t e mof behaviour.
Introduction to Nursing 7) Vocational and Placement Services
Education
It is meant to serve the individual and society. Here occupational information is
given to the individual. A nursing student has already taken a decision about her
vocational choice and so this service helps her to prevent unfortunate
consequences arising from maladjustment to her job and contribute to her well-
being and efficiency. This service acquaints the nursing students with different
types of workers, particularly community health workers; assists them to see inter-
relationships among various fields of work; aids in building good work habits; and
gives them information about higher traininglcourses available to them. Career
talks, newspapers, employment news, pamphlets, charts, occupational guides (job
description booklets), audio-visual materials, etc. are used to convey such
infonnation to nursing students. As a nurse educator you can act as a career
master and givelarrange a career talk in the neighbourhood, general schools so as
to motivate school girls to join nursing profession.

A strong emphasis is given on placing students in jobs suitable for them. It can be
done through co-ordination with employment exchanges and different employing
and placement agencies.

8) Personal and Social Service

It is meant to help pupils overcome their problems of hostel, mess, and finance;
help is also rendered for enabling the foreign students to adjust to new situations.
School can organize programmes for securing scholarships for students, getting
hnds from different sources, arranging for different co-curricular activities,
educational tours and cultural programmes with the help of student adviser.
Similarly their housing and mess problem may be sorted out by planning it with the
hostel warden.

9) Follow-up Service

As you can assume from the title itself, involves keeping in touch with students
who have qualified from the school as well as the dropouts for some years after
they leave the school. This is done to find fbrther opportunities for serving these
students and evaluating the programme. The common tools used for conducting
follow-up services consist of questionnaires, interviews, letters, and telephone calls
etc.
It is important for you to note here that counselling in all these types of services is
basically provided through face-to-face contact with the individual; however, group
counselling is also coming up in some specific situations.

In addition, Health Services is also needed in a residential school/college as a sick

student is a liability to the institution and is a risk to the student herself and to the
student community. A school should conduct periodic health check-up of all the
students besides giving the required medical help whenever necessary. Provision
needs to be made for hospitalization of students who need it.

5.6.4 Resources for Counselling

Counselling is an integral part of education which takes place in a social context.
Hence counselling should take place with greater utilization of community
resources. Many counselling services are found in outside agencies such as
medical, mental health, social welfare and in employment exchanges and so on. A
counsellor can refer pupils or their parents for help on special problems to these
agencies or use them as energy resources.

Energy Resources refer to agencies willing to spend timelmoneykuman resources

to sponsor certain activities related to counselling programme such as hnding the
 purchase of films, publications, testing materials, or visit to place of counselling of Guidance and Counselling
interest etc. in Nursing Education

a ' Medical Services: A counsellor can refer pupils for special examination or
treatment to such an agency or special clinics.

Mental Health Services: A pupil who needs such help should be referred to
psychiatric hospital, psychiatrist or to A special ward attached to a general
hospital.

Social Welfare Agencies: Include Y.W.C.A., Nehru Yuvak Kendra, Youth

Club, Lion's Club, Rotary Club, Sports Club, Recreational Club etc. Pupils
having financial problems, with leisure time, social or employment problems
may be referred to these agencies.

Legal/Law enforcement agencies: Sometimes the problem faced by the pupil

is such that it requires taking help of legalllaw enforcing agencies.

Employment Exchanges: Not only provide employment information but also

provide speakers for orientationlin-service education programmes, testing
facilities etc.
Parents: Either individually or in the form of group (Parent-teacher
association) are a great resource. They can render help in the form o f :
Arranging for trips, organizing finances, launching social or recreational
activities.

Check Your Progress 4

1) Match the items of Column A with those of Column B:

A B
i) Appraisal Service a) To make help available to
individual for coping with

'
i) My father has expired after a long illness and I feel responsible for it.
ii) My supervisor is not happy with my work and she will put me on night
duties.
5) I feel my tutors are neglecting me.
Introduction to Nursing iv) I have told a lie to the matron to save a fkiend.
Education
v) I do not know what course I can take after my G.N.M. to upgrade my
status,

vi) I am not sure of getting married.

vii) I had very intimate relationship with a boy friend.

Activity 2

Collect a list of names, addresses of local resources for the counselling programme
which can be used by people.

COUNSELLING/PERSONNEL PROGRAMME
In this section, you will be acquainted with the personnel who can do counselling in
school/college of Nursing. You will also learn about the functions and attributes of a
counsellor.

5.7.1 The Counselling Personnel

The counselling programme cannot just depend upon a counsellor alone but has to,
involve other member of the school like teaching faculty, librarian, hostel warden,
physical instructor, medical personnel etc.

The counselling personnel generally involved are as under:

i) PrincipaWice PrincipaYTutor InchargeINursing and Medical

Superintendent: For the counselling programme to succeed the support of
these persons is essential. These persons should recognize the need of the
programme, provide facilities, finance, give it its rightful place in the school
time-table, coordinate with other members of the staff, give publicity to the
programme and evaluate the counselling programme.

ii) Counsellor: Although most of the nursing schoolslcolleges do not have a full
time counsellor but it is hoped that soon the situation will change and every
school will have either fully trained counsellor or some tutors who are trained
through in-serviceldistance programme (like the programme you are
undergoing) to take up the role of a counsellor. IGNOU has separately started
a course for training counsellors. The nursing schools may arrange to have
Visiting Counsellors from institutions that have them, till they have their own
counsellors.

iii) Tutors: Tutors are the key professionals in the school setting. Their support
and participation is crucial in making the counselling programme a success. It
is they who have the maximum and important contact with the pupils. They
act as a source of referral and appraisal to the counsellor, reinforce the
counselling outcomes besides providing conductive environment. They give
encouragement and support to the counsellor. They also motivate the pupils to
utilize the counselling services and help them develop a positive attitude
towards counselling.

iv) Parents: As the counselling programme extends beyond nursing school

parents must be told about the need and scope of counselling programme.
Pupil's life, aspirations, adjustments, personality etc., also the influence of
home so parents should be made aware of this impact. Parents also provide
information about the pupil, i.e., her life style, reading habits, temperament, her
interpersonal relationship, style of reaction, her emotional adjustment etc.
Parents also act as support to the pupil in the crisis situation, academic or
 emotional disturbance. Thus in the counselling process they have a two way Guidance and Counselling
I role. They need to be oriented about their role by the counsellor. in Nursing Education

5.7.2 Functions of Counsellor

I By now you have obtained an idea about the services involved in a counselling
I programme.

You will thus find that counsellor generally carries out the services discussed in.
Section 5.6 above, after carefully surveying pupil's needs.
Specifically the functions of a counsellor are:
Pupil appraisal-using appropriate test and non-testing devices.
Pupil orientation-involving tutors, wardens, librarians, doctors, and other
resources.
Helping emotionally disturbed pupil-using counselling techniques.
Helping pupil overcome academic and social deficiencies.
Helping pupil overcome their financial, health, sex, residential and messing
problems.
Gaining cooperation from other tutors and helping them in gaining
understanding of the pupils.
Gaining cooperation froin parents and other personnel of the counselling
process.
Maintaining up-to-date records of pupils concerning counselling.
Arranging for referral services for those who need them.
Evaluating and doing the follow-up work.
Giving career talks to potential entrants to the nursing profession.
Disseminating information relating to employment, recreational and
professional opportunities.

5.7.3 Attributes of a Counsellor

In order to provide effective counselling services, the counsellor needs to
demonstrate certain attributes. Some of these attributes which makes a person a
good counsellor are as under:
Self-Awareness and Understanding: A person who has awareness of her
needs, motivation for helping, feelings, personal strengths and weakness acts
as a good counsellor. These people do not use projection (for example: "Ihad
a very aggressive counselee" instead of "I felt angry with the counselee"),
defensiveness (for example: instead of responding to the counselee's feelings
to a question "whether counselling will do any good", she inay express her
personal feeling of insecurity by raising her voice or other non-verbal
behavi~ur.)

ii) Good Mental Health: Although no person is totally problem free but a
person with less problems or good mental health can be a good counsellor,
otherwise their own problems will jeopardize the process of counselling.

iii) Sensitivity: A person who is aware of resources, limitations, and vulnerability

of other persons as well as is keenly perceptive to other persons' feelings and
Introduction to Nursing needs are considered to have sensitivity. A person having the understanding of
Education individual will act as a good counsellor. (A person who can put one's foot into
other's shoe.)

iv) Open-Mindedness: A person who is free from fixed or pre-conceived ideas.

It does not mean that they have no personal values or beliefs, but they are
aware of their own values and beliefs and are able to distinguish them from
the beliefs and values of others. They do not thrust their values on others.

v) Objectivity: A person with the ability of not getting involved with the other
person and at the same time, stand back and see accurately what is
happening. (Not to get drowned while saving others).

vi) Trustworthiness: A person who is reliable, honest, and does not hurt other
persons. Helshe keeps the information to herself. (Never makes a person
regret having made a revelation).
vii) Approachability: A person who has some resemblance with other known
pleasant and friendly person, who is friendly, has positive attitudes about
others and can be approached without a feeling of apprehension.
Check Your Progress 5

1) List the members of counselling team.

............................................................................................................................
2) List the specific functions of a counsellor.
.............................................................................................................................

3) What attributes make a good counsellor.

.............................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
.................*..*.*......~...**...........*'.....v..........*..............................*......*..............+........

.............................,...................*...........................................................................

LET US SUM UP - -

In this unit you have learnt the meaning of guidance, counselling, and their
relationship, purposes, and principles of guidance and counselling; need for
counselling in nursing education, areas of counselling, counselling in distance
education, counselling services in school of nursing and counselling personnel /
team. In Unit 6 we will discuss about the counselling process and approaches in
11.
 Guidance and Counselling
5.9 ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS in Nursing Education

Check Your Progress 1

I
1
I I I

1) To whom given
I
Guidance
Students; Nurses facing
I
Counselling
Students; Nurses facing
I
problems problems.
2) By whom given Tutors; Parents; Counsellors i.e. specially
Counsellors. trained professional
people with counselling
skills.

3) Where Schools, home; In a special setting

everywhere; womb to conductive to giving and
tomb. receiving help for

4) How given
I
interviewing.
By way of giving
I
Giving guidance with a
I
educational, vocational view to enabling
information and helping individuals to make
individuals to understand decisions for himself1
themselves. herself and coming to

i
terms with life ..... ......
5) Purpose Optimum development of Helping individuals
individual student for develop self confidence
ultimate development for and adjust to life
school. strategies and schooling
problems.

Check Your Progress 2

1) Two individual related purposes of guidance and counselling are:

i), Students to know about vocational opportunities available nationally and

internationally and make choices considering their aptitude, interest,
scope, requirements for future growth.

ii) Help students for all round personal and social development on the basis
of their abilities, interest, resources etc.

2) Society related purposes of guidance and counselling are:

i) To develop good citizenship in students.

ii) To develop positive attitude towards family life and community living.

3) Principles of guidance and counselling:

i) Concerned with the 'whole' or total individual and not with the
v
individual's intellectual life alone.

ii) Adequate evidence should be there before labeling an individual as .

abnormal.

iii) Involvement of all members of academic staff in the guidance and

counselling programme.

iv) Acceptance of individual differences and consequent recognition of

inrlivirhial differences in nrohlem areas of individuals.
Introduction to Nursing Check Your Progress 3
Education
1) Nursing students in schools and colleges of nursing are in adolescent and
young adult age group which is a period of stress and strain and full of much
turmoil. Their problems are multiplied because of uncertain socio-economic
conditions, pressure of modem living and advanced technology. In addition
they are exposed to increased stress and strain due to strenuous professional
studies in varied settings, dealing with patients, their relatives and other
professional and supervisors, having duel role of a nurse and a student, living
in hostel etc. Due to these prevailing conditions, they have a tendency to
develop problems so they need guidance and counselling which help them
more than anyone else.

2) i) Educational

ii) Vocational

iii) Health and Living conditions

iv) Personal

v) Moral, religious, and social

vi) Leisure

3) Students from distance education like conventional students also face many
problems in relation to their education and training programme, vocation,
health, personal aspects, leisure etc. They also have problems because of
distance education itself in which major portion of studies are done by self
with the help of multi media such as print material, audio-video cassette, radio,
T.V. broadcast etc., which may have related problems. Students do feel the
need for help and guidance of a counsellor to interact directly by face to face
and share the problems and solve the problems. IGNOU has organised a
system of counselling students through counsellors who are by and large
experienced teachers working in the colleges of nursing.

Check Your Progress 4

ii) c)

iii) e)

iv) b)

2) i) Crisis counselling

ii) Facilikitive counselling

iii) Crisis counselling

iv) Facilitative counselling

v) Developmental counselling

vi) Preventive counselling

vii) Facilitative
Check Your Progress 5 Guidance and Counselling
in Nursing Education
1) Counsellor-Team leader
Principal Tutor
Tutors
Wardens
Librarian
Medical staff
Parents
2) Functions of a counsellor:
i) Pupil appraisal.
ii) Pupil orientation.
iii) Helping emotionally disturbed pupils.

iv) Helping.students overcome academic and social deficiencies.

v) Helping students cope with their financial, health, sex, residential and
messing Problems.

vi) Gaining cooperation from other members of facility.

vii) Gaining cooperation from parents and other agencies.

viii) Maintaining updated records of students concerning counselling.

ix) Arranging for referred services for those who need them.
x) Evaluating and follow up work.

xi) Giving career talks to potential entrants to the nursing profession.

xii) Disseminating information relating to employment, professional and
recreational opportunities.

3) Attributes of a good counsellor:

Self awareness and understanding.
Good mental health.
Sensitivity
Open mindedness
Objectivity
Trustworthiness
Approachability