The 6 Cs of Nursing: A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

In 2012 the Chief Nursing Officer called everyone who works in care to embrace the “6Cs”.

The 6Cs of nursing are:

  • Care
  • Compassion
  • Competence
  • Communication
  • Courage
  • Commitment

The purpose of the 6Cs is to ensure patients are looked after with care and compassion, by competent workers who communicate well, dare to make changes that improve care and can commit to delivering this all day, every day.

Although it is eight years since the 6Cs were launched, they are still as relevant today as they were in 2012. Healthcare changes over time with new research, policies and ideas, however, the need to look after patients with dignity and compassion always remains the same even when working in challenging, busy environments with few staff.

We would therefore like to remind all agency workers of the continued importance and relevance of the 6Cs.

Care

Care is our core business and that of our organisations, and the care we deliver helps the individual and improves the health of the whole community. Caring defines us and our work. People receiving care expect it to be right for them, consistently, throughout every stage of their life.

Compassion

Compassionis how care is given through relationships based on empathy, respect and dignity - it can also be described as intelligent kindness, and is central to how people perceive their care.

Competence

Competenceit is necessary to update your knowledge and skills regularly, as well as knowing your limits whilst working as an agency nurse. You must only undertake work that you feel competent and confident in carrying out. Our workers competence is evidenced by our compliance requirements, so we ask you to keep us updated with staff evaluations, feedback and training. All this is done to ensure the highest standard of care for each patient.

Communication

Communicationis essential in healthcare and is central to successful caring relationships and effective team work. Being a good listener is an important part of patient care, as is clear record–keeping, reporting and monitoring of patient records and other documentation, especially as a non-permanent member of staff.

Courage

Courageenables us to do the right thing for the people we care for, to speak-up when we have concerns and to have the personal strength and vision to innovate and to embrace new ways of working.

Commitment

Commitmentis vital, as thepublic look to healthcare workers as examples, even in our private lives. This means looking after your own health and maintaining a code of conduct in our social lives in order to be that role model. You should continually strive to provide the best possible guidance and care for your patients.

The 6 Cs of Nursing: A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

FAQs

What are the 6 C's in nursing? ›

The 6Cs of nursing are:
  • Care.
  • Compassion.
  • Competence.
  • Communication.
  • Courage.
  • Commitment.

How to remember the 6 C's of nursing? ›

Before we look at them in detail, take a moment now to think. Do you already know what the 6Cs are? What nouns beginning with C do you think might be essentially important in delivery of health and social care? So, the 6Cs are care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment.

Which of the 6 cs is most important? ›

Let's understand the 6 C's of nursing a little better. Care is the first C; Care is defined as the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something. The primary duty of the nurse is to care for the patient. Amongst all the C's this is the most important.

When were the 6 C's of nursing introduced? ›

Jane is the professional lead for all nurses and midwives in England (with the exception of public health) and published the '6Cs' and 'Compassion in Practice' in December 2012, followed by publishing the 'Leading Change, Adding Value' framework in May 2016.

Why are the 6 C's important in nursing? ›

The main purpose of the 6 C's is to make sure anyone within a care setting is looked after and supported with compassion, by people who are empathetic and communicate well. The 6 C's encourage people to provide an amazing and ever-improving level of care.

What are the 6 P's of nursing care? ›

Instead, Herrmann and her team created an improved nurse rounding program known as the "6 Ps" of patient care, or Pain, Personal Needs, Pulmonary Hygiene, Positions, Possessions and Place.

What are the 6 C's of nursing interview questions? ›

Interviewee: Before your interview, you must ensure you understand the six Cs of nursing, which are: care, compassion, competence, communication, courage and commitment. It's not enough to say what they are – you need to share examples of when you've successfully exhibited all these traits.

What do nurses memorize? ›

As a nurse, you're required to know anatomy and physiology, biology, pharmacology, and other areas of science. You also need to maintain your knowledge of modern medicine and are expected to attend continuing education classes.

What do nurses have to memorize? ›

As a nurse, you'll need to know symptoms that point to different health problems, signs of adverse medication reactions, and the steps for treating various illnesses (to name a few).

How do you demonstrate the 6 cs? ›

What are the NHS' 6 Cs of nursing?
  1. Compassion. Compassion means providing care in an empathic way, taking into account the patient's feelings and treating them with dignity and respect when they are at their most vulnerable. ...
  2. Competence. ...
  3. Communication. ...
  4. Courage. ...
  5. Commitment.
Jun 30, 2022

What are the 4 P's in nursing? ›

Many healthcare facilities are using the method of rounding addressing the 4P's (possessions, position, pain, and potty).

What does courage mean in the 6Cs? ›

Courage enables us to do the right thing for the people we care for, to speak up when we have concerns. It means we have the personal strength and vision to innovate and to embrace new ways of working. A commitment to our patients and populations is a cornerstone of what we do.

How to resolve conflict in nursing? ›

Here are practical tips for navigating conflicts:
  1. Foster open communication. ...
  2. Mediate and negotiate. ...
  3. Identify underlying issues. ...
  4. Encourage empathy. ...
  5. Seek a compromise. ...
  6. Provide guidance and coaching. ...
  7. Encourage professional behavior. ...
  8. Follow established policies and procedures.

What is commitment in the 6Cs? ›

Commitment. The final C is Commitment – being committed to residents and committed to providing them with the best care. Commitment also encompasses the need to continue working to improve residents' care through research, feedback, and experiences.

What are the 4 P's of nursing? ›

The Code presents the professional standards that nurses, midwives and nursing associates must uphold in order to be registered to practise in the UK. It's structured around four themes – prioritise people, practise effectively, preserve safety and promote professionalism and trust.

What are the 6 C's of decision-making? ›

At the end of the paper a model of 6 Cs of decision i.e. Construct, Compile, Collect, Compare, Consider, Commit was offered to help attain cost effective decisions in organizations. choice. In other words it is assumed that administrators/ managers have access to the needed information to making finest decision.

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