Exploring Compassion and Competence in NMBA Code of Conduct

This essay explores the critical roles of compassion and competence in nursing practices, as defined by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) Code of Conduct. It highlights how compassion, linked to Principle 3 of the code, emphasizes culturally safe and respectful treatment, while competence, connected to Principle 2, focuses on delivering safe, evidence-based, and patient-centered care. The essay uses examples to illustrate these principles, such as the importance of obtaining consent for culturally sensitive examinations and ensuring patient comfort to promote healing. It also discusses the significance of addressing compassion fatigue among nurses and fostering collaborative decision-making within their scope of practice. Ultimately, the essay concludes that compassion and competence are essential attributes for effective nursing practices, promoting patient well-being and upholding professional standards.

Compassion and competence in NMBA Stand
Compassion
Competence
Principle 3: Cultural practice and
respectful relation
Compassion develops cultural
awareness and sensitivity for
culturally respectful relationship and
treatment (Power, 2016)
Principle 2: Safe and person-centered care
Think critically and apply clinical competent skills
to delivery safe and customized care (Fukada,
2018).
Nursing core competencies. Šakalyte, D.
Modernization of Nursing Education and
Nurse ‘IT Competence.
Compassion fatigue. Adapted by Daniel Allen (2019). Allen, D. (2020). Nurses' mental health:
how managers can tackle compassion fatigue. Retrieved 12 April 2020, from
https://rcni.com/cancer-nursing-practice/newsroom/analysis/nurses-mental-health-how-manager
can-tackle-compassion-fatigue-155196
Measurement of compassion in nursing. Durkin,
M., Gurbutt, R., & Carson, J. (2018). Qualities,
teaching, and measurement of compassion in
nursing: A systematic review. Nurse education
today, 63, 50-58.
Nurse gives injection. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/450360031462178999/

Rationale
In this rationale, two of the 6C’s described by Roach in nursing practices and their
interdependence with relevant principles of the NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses has been
discussed. Roach’s 6C’s of nursing are different attributes of care essential for the patient and
their families as well as the nursing professionals. These six attributes include compassion,
competence, comportment, conscience, commitment and confidence (Baillie, 2017). Of the
six attributes, compassion and competence are the two essential elements that go hand-in-
hand with each other and are critically linked with some of the principles of the Code of
Conduct (Lee & Seomun, 2016). The first attribute of care, compassion is linked to principle
3, while competence is interlinked with principle 2 of the NMBA Code of Conduct for
nurses. The roles of each of the two standards and their relevance to the NMBA Code of
Conduct is discussed with examples before providing the conclusion.
Effective nursing professional practices are substantially dependent on compassion.
Compassion is not just limited to expressing pity or concern towards the patient. This
attribute of caring involves sharing the pain and suffering of the patient. It involves having
empathy for the patient (Lombardo & Eyre, 2011). It is based on dignity and respect towards
the patient. Compassion is considered as central to the professional roles of a nurse.
Compassion is closely linked to principle 3 of the NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses
(Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2020). It includes incorporating culturally safe professional
nursing practices with honesty and compassion to deliver respectful services of treatment as
Australia is linguistically and culturally diverse (Bloomfield & Pegram, 2015). For instance,
if a male registered nurse is assigned to examine an Aboriginal woman, the nurse must take

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him. This ensures facilitating culturally safe and compassionate nursing practices. The third
principle of the Code of Conduct is not only related to compassion towards the patients but
also towards fellow nurses. The measure of compassion fatigue and compassion satisfaction
of the nurses in their professions is regulated by their workplace culture and relationships,
which if extremely low affects the treatment process of the patients. Principle 3 also requires
the nurses to refrain from engaging in any form of bully or harassment, which is a common
form of workplace stress resulting in compassion fatigue (Jakimowicz, Perry & Lewis, 2018).
For example, a nurse verbally abusing a fellow nurse by harmful comments on a regular basis
can result in the other nurse abstaining from workplace and professional duties. Verbal abuse
is another form of bully and harassment. Nurse must be compassionate towards their
colleagues as well.
Competence involves the skills and knowledge required to be a nurse and take appropriate
care of the patient. It also demonstrates the ability to practice effective and safe professional
responsibilities. It is a way of holding the nursing practices high and delivering an excellent
quality of services. The competent skills are the only sources of confidence of the nurse in
their professional practices (Scanlon et al., 2016). This attribute of competence is deeply
linked to principle 2 of the NMBA Code of Conduct for nurses. According to this principle,
nurses are responsible for providing safe and evidence-based practices in delivering care to
the patient (Nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au, 2020). For example, the nurses must ensure
changing the wet sheets of their patients and empty their urine bottles regularly to avoid
infection and provide safe nursing practices. The competent skills of the nurses must be
applied in providing person-centred treatment and involve the opinions of the patient as per
the first division of principle 2. For example, the nurses can use their clinical competence and

2COMPASSION AND COMPETENCE
recovery. This is because physical comfort is directly related to the healing duration of the
patient (Clay & Parsh, 2016). Moreover, according to the second division of decision-making
of principle 2, the nurses must utilise their expertise in fostering conditions in the treatment
promoting collaborative practices and sharing the task of making decisions within their scope
of professional practice. This principle also requires nursing professionals to be responsible
for their patients and have minimum negligence in their work (Cashin et al., 2017).
In conclusion, the six C’s described by Roach provides the integral attributes required to be
incorporated in professional nursing practices stated by the NMBA Code of Conduct for
nurses for adequate care of the patient. Compassion is an essential element of principle 3 of
the Code, which requires the nurses to foster empathy and respect in their professional
practices. Similarly, competence is another attribute among the Roach’s 6C’s of care which is
closely linked to the principle 2 of the Code. Competence is a critical ingredient in nursing
practices to ensure delivery of care that is patient-centred, safe and based on evidence and
promotes sound health and well-being of the person.

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