If you’re already well into your nursing career then you will be very familiar with the 6 Cs of nursing and it should be something that comes very naturally to you! If you’re new to the concept then it’s they are a very important part of nursing you should frequently bear in mind. Their purpose is to ensure patients are looked after with care and compassion every day. While the healthcare landscape may evolve over time with new research, emerging tech and innovative ideas, these six standards are a constant that remain the same.
As they are an important set of values for all health and social care workers, we thought we’d provide a little refresher on why they play such a pivotal role in helping you provide exceptional care to your patients and excel in your nursing career. No matter how busy your shift is or how challenging a new environment, stick to the 6 Cs to ensure you continue to do what you do best!
Why were the 6 Cs of nursing introduced?
The 6 Cs – care, compassion, courage, communication, commitment, competence - are a central part of ‘Compassion in Practice’, which was first established by NHS England Chief Nursing Officer, Jane Cummings, in December 2017.
They were introduced as a way of articulating and defining the values which need to underpin the culture and practice of healthcare organisations delivering care and support. They are
What are the 6 Cs of nursing?
Nurses are the backbone of our healthcare system and are hugely important to the NHS in the UK. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that there are more individuals working in the nursing field than in any other healthcare profession! To ensure each and every nurse is operating under the same set of values, the 6 Cs were put in place as a national strategy for care, and can be defined as:
1. Care
Care is at the core of what nurses do and the care they deliver helps to improve the health of our entire community. Patients receiving that care expect it to be specific to their needs and consistent throughout every stage of their lives.
2.Compassion
The relationships that nurses build with their patients are based on empathy, respect and dignity. It can also be described as intelligent kindness and is central to how people perceive their care.
3.Courage
Courage enables nurses to make the right choices throughout their career and do what’s best for their patients. It’s up to nurses to speak out if they have concerns and have the personal strength to easily adapt to each new environment and overcome any challenge that is thrown at them.
4.Communication
Communication is essential to a nurse’s success, as it enables them to build caring relationships with their patients and work well with their colleagues as part of a team. Listening is also just as important when it comes to caring for your patients, as they need to be kept informed about decisions but also feel they are being heard.
5.Commitment
Nursing professionals have a commitment to their patients and this helps them take the necessary steps to improving the quality of care they receive and ensuring they have a positive care experience.
6.Competence
Competence means that those in a caring role must have the natural ability to understand their patient’s health and social needs and have the relevant expertise, clinical, and technical knowledge to deliver effective care and treatments based on research and evidence.
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FAQs
Care, compassion, competence, communication, courage, and commitment are the 6 C's established by the NHS and play a vital role in providing compassionate care that is of an excellent standard and delivered by registered healthcare professionals, clinical support staff, non-clinical staff and nurses within nursing ...
What are the 6 C's and why are they important? ›
Nurses operate on six core values which are commonly known as the 6 C's. These are Care, Compassion, Competence, Communication, Courage and Commitment. Nurses who operate on these values ensure that the job gets done in an effective and efficient manner and that patients are safe and treated well.
Why were the 6Cs introduced? ›
The 6 Cs ensure that the standard for Health Care professionals remains consistent, compassionate, and high quality. The Compassion in Practice strategy, including the 6 Cs, was devised by Jane Cummings, NHS England Chief Nursing Officer. It launched in December 2012.
How can the 6Cs help build positive relationships? ›
The 6 C's For A Healthy Relationship
- Communication. Effective communication may be the key to long-term success in a relationship, and good communication takes practice. ...
- Compromise. Compromise requires the concept of give-and-take. ...
- Commitment. ...
- Compatibility. ...
- Consideration [respect] ...
- Conduct.
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.
Why are the 6 C's of communication important? ›
They are, Clear, Concise, Correct, Contextual, Concrete and Caring. Becoming adept at harnessing the Six C's also makes you a more compelling individual and not just a compelling communicator.
What is the rule of the six C's? ›
These are the six Cs, Curiosity, Creativity, Competence, Collaboration, and Confidence, leading to effective communication.
Why is compassion important in healthcare? ›
Can reduce patient anxiety. Improves patient satisfaction. Strengthens the patient/physician/caregiver relationship.
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.
What are the 6Cs of compassion in practice? ›
Compassion in Practice was built on the values of the 6Cs (Care, Compassion, Communication, Courage, Competence, Commitment) and delivered improvement programmes through six work streams called Action Areas: 1. Helping people to stay independent, maximising well-being and improving health outcomes. 2.
Sometimes called the six key elements of building trust, the 6 C's are the essential skills and attributes that will help you enhance the confidence in your relationships: character, caring, competence, consistency, credibility, and communication.
What are the 6 C's of marriage? ›
A successful marriage requires a mix of Compatibility, Chemistry, Commitment, Community, Communication and Compassion.
What are the 6 C's of teamwork? ›
The 6 C's of team-building – Communication, Collaboration, Cooperation, Coordination, Conflict Resolution, and Celebration – are the building blocks of a successful and cohesive team.
Which of the 6 C's 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.
Why are the 6 C's important in health and social care? ›
The 6 C's were developed to ensure an excellent level of care is provided across different care settings such as care homes and hospitals, while also being part of the 'Compassion in Practice' strategy used by the NHS.
What do the 6Cs mean? ›
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.
What is the 6 C principle? ›
Key Takeaways. Drafting involves writing consistently in a formal, casual, or informal style characterized by the “Six Cs”: clarity, conciseness, coherence, correctness, courtesy, and conviction.
What are the 6 C's of success? ›
Wanting to impart this skill, Rakesh started teaching others how to communicate and present their ideas in meetings, sowing the seed for SoME. The School was established on the concept of six Cs of success: Communication, Confidence, Curiosity, Creativity, Collaboration and Competence.
Why are care values important? ›
Values are central to work in health and social care. They are principles that guide workers to understand right from wrong and are about what is important when caring and supporting individuals.
How does the 6Cs link to empowerment? ›
The 6 C's of care were created to empower care staff to contribute to improvements across the industry, with one of the main ways they can do this being by 'whistle-blowing' when something is wrong. Though care workers may find this uncomfortable, they need to be honest and brave for change to happen.
