Katharine Kolcaba's Comfort Theory
Comfort Care Theory
Nightingale described comfort as first duty of nurses. Since then comfort theory is flourishing in nursing and medical field. The first article on comfort theory was published in 1994 (Oliveira, 2013). Katharine Kolcaba first published her book on comfort care in 2003. This theory has been published and accepted at many health care authorities (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Kolcaba defined comfort as “the immediate state of being strengthen through having the human needs for relief, ease, and transcendence addressed in four contexts of experience ( physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental)” (Kolcaba K. , 2003, p. 251). Kolcaba and Dimarco explained relief as “state of having a discomfort mitigated or alleviated”, ease as “absence of specific discomfort”, and transcendence as …show more content…
It is created upon patient’s specific needs. In “Comfort Theory and its Application to Pediatric” article Kolcaba and Dimarco gives an example of child who have had spinal cord surgery. This child had sociocultural issues which can be resolved by bringing family at bed side and answering questions that 12 year old has regarding her looks after surgery (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Nurses are primary links to normalise environment in children after a fearful or painful experiences (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). In addition, according to the comfort theory nurses are mentors and advocates on pediatric wards who alleviate pain and worries of parents and ensure safety of sick child (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). There are three types of comfort interventions: standard comfort to keep pain free, coaching comfort to inform or explain procedure, comfort food for the soul method to acknowledge child and caregivers (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Nurses must recognise meaning of comfort to apply this to their practice (Oliveira, 2013). Comfort theory include critical and effective measures as well as awareness of “stepping in” and “stepping out” of situation as
Nightingale described comfort as first duty of nurses. Since then comfort theory is flourishing in nursing and medical field. The first article on comfort theory was published in 1994 (Oliveira, 2013). Katharine Kolcaba first published her book on comfort care in 2003. This theory has been published and accepted at many health care authorities (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Kolcaba defined comfort as “the immediate state of being strengthen through having the human needs for relief, ease, and transcendence addressed in four contexts of experience ( physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental)” (Kolcaba K. , 2003, p. 251). Kolcaba and Dimarco explained relief as “state of having a discomfort mitigated or alleviated”, ease as “absence of specific discomfort”, and transcendence as …show more content…
It is created upon patient’s specific needs. In “Comfort Theory and its Application to Pediatric” article Kolcaba and Dimarco gives an example of child who have had spinal cord surgery. This child had sociocultural issues which can be resolved by bringing family at bed side and answering questions that 12 year old has regarding her looks after surgery (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Nurses are primary links to normalise environment in children after a fearful or painful experiences (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). In addition, according to the comfort theory nurses are mentors and advocates on pediatric wards who alleviate pain and worries of parents and ensure safety of sick child (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). There are three types of comfort interventions: standard comfort to keep pain free, coaching comfort to inform or explain procedure, comfort food for the soul method to acknowledge child and caregivers (Kolcaba & Dimarco, 2005). Nurses must recognise meaning of comfort to apply this to their practice (Oliveira, 2013). Comfort theory include critical and effective measures as well as awareness of “stepping in” and “stepping out” of situation as