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Eight 'Cs' of caring: A holistic framework for nursing terminally ill patients
Nirmala Devi Pusari
Lecturer, School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, SA
Abstract
This introductory paper describes how nurses can incorporate eight caring elements into nursing care for terminally ill patients. These caring elements can be described as: Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience, Commitment, Courage, Culture and Communication. The eight Cs of caring are comprised of Simone Roach's five Cs plus three further Cs. According to Roach (1993), who developed the Five Cs (Compassion, Competence, Confidence, Conscience and Commitment), knowledge, skills and experience make caring unique. Here, I extend Roach's work by proposing three further Cs (Courage, Culture and Communication). The paper takes as its framework the concept of holistic care, which encompasses physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and cultural aspects. Examples are provided as to how the Eight Cs may be applied. Literature from various nursing scholars is included to support the discussion throughout.
Keywords
caring, holistic nursing care, terminally ill patients, palliative care, culture
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