The 8 C’s Of Caring

Caring

Welcome to my blog entitled ‘The 8 C’s Of Caring’. This blog is heavily based on the paper ‘Eight ‘Cs’ of caring: A holistic framework for nursing terminally ill patients’ however I feel relates to my work.

Before we start, other blogs that you might be interested in, include:

What Are The 8 C’s?

Compassion

According to Roach (1993:58), compassion is:…

a way of living born out of an awareness of one’s relationship to all living creatures; engendering a response of participation in the experience of another; a sensitivity to the pain and brokenness of the other; a quality of presence which allows one to share with and make room for the other.

This is one of the most common barriers I see to healing. Many of us lack self-compassion – it isn’t something we get taught! But self-compassion has been shown to influence our health. You may like to read my blog on self-compassion here.

Competence

Competence is:…

the state of having the knowledge, judgment, skills, energy, experience and motivation required to respond adequately to the demands of one’s responsibilities (Roach 1993:61).

Confidence

Confidence is a: …

quality which fosters trusting relationship (Roach 1993:62).

This is arguably one of the most important when considering the therapeutic relationship. Did you know that some research indicates the most important factor in successful outcomes is the relationship between healthcare practitioner and client/patient? Even more so than the medication (in conventional medicine)?

Conscience

Conscience is: …

a state of moral awareness; a compass directing one’s behaviour a cording to the moral fitness of things (Roach 1993:63).

Commitment

Commitment is: …

a complex affective response characterised by a convergence between one’s desires and one’s obligations, and by a deliberate choice to act in accordance with them (Roach 1993:65).

This is certainly an important one for both practitioner and client/patient. It is important both commit to the journey. Recovery from chronic health issues is often a slow and long journey with peaks and troughs along the way. Staying committed (which can be made easier by self-compassion) is crucial.

Courage

According to Mayeroff (1971:34): Courage is … going into the un-known.

Culture

Culture is: …

the beliefs, values, and lifeways of people. (Leininger 1997:99)

Communication

Communication is: …

a process by which meanings are exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, such as language, gestures and signs (Surbone 1997:9).

References: What Is Spiritual Intelligence?

  1. Eight ‘Cs’ of caring: a holistic framework for nursing terminally ill patients: click here.
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