What Are the Five “C’s” of Caring?
The Five C’s of Caring are commitment, conscience, competence, compassion and confidence. Sister M. Simone Roach developed the Five C’s of Caring in 1987, specific to the nursing profession.
Roach proposed that all five C’s were needed for nurses and other health care professionals to understand fully and empathize with the needs of their patients. She suggested that following the Five C’s of Caring would not only lead to better relationships with patients, but also would improve health care work environments. The Five C’s have been widely adopted across the medical field, with specific focus on the practical aspects and training opportunities. Consequently, Roach’s published research into both the ethical and psychological aspects of caring are core elements of nursing programs across North America, Europe and Asia.
In the early 1990s, Roach added a sixth category, comportment. This category specifically focuses on the importance of professionalism, self-awareness and responsibility in the medical field. Roach believed that this category was critical in understanding the influence and potential impact that medical professionals could have on their patients.
Some nursing professionals have added a seventh category, creativity, to encourage health care workers to think and react to medical situations in new and innovative ways.
