Compassion and Competence in Nursing: NMBA Code of Conduct Analysis

This report delves into the critical attributes of compassion and competence within nursing practice, as defined by Roach's 6Cs and the NMBA Code of Conduct. The rationale emphasizes that compassion, linked to principle 3, involves empathy and respect for patients and colleagues, incorporating culturally safe practices. Competence, tied to principle 2, highlights the importance of safe, evidence-based care and patient-centered treatment. The report provides examples illustrating the practical application of these principles, such as ensuring culturally sensitive care and utilizing patient preferences to enhance the healing environment. The conclusion reinforces the interdependence of these attributes in fostering ethical, effective, and patient-centered nursing care, promoting the well-being of both patients and healthcare professionals.

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
consent from the woman if she was comfortable with getting the examination conducted by

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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
the views of the patient to customize their healing environment with relaxing music, warm
environment, pleasant scents or other amenities preferred by the patient for support and rapid

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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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