Kolcaba's Theory Of Comfort

The middle range theory that favored and found most relatable was the Theory of Comfort. The Theory of Comfort was created by Katharine Kolcaba (Dowd, 2014). Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort include the following concepts: health care needs, comfort interventions, intervening variables, comfort, health-seeking behaviors, institutional integrity, best practices, and best policies (Dowd, 2014). The health care needs concept can be physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, or environmental and are generally not met by normal support systems (Dowd, 2014). Comfort interventions relates to the nursing care provide for the patient’s comfort needs, regardless of what kind of comfort need (Dowd, 2014). The intervening variables concept includes any
Slatyer, Williams, and Michael’s (2014) study focused on nurses’ caring for patients experiencing ongoing pain. According to Slatyer, Williams, and Michael (2014), “strategies indicated include enhanced communication protocols, access to advanced practice nurses, use of nonpharmacological comfort measures, utilization of ward-based pain resource nurses, and unit-specific pain management education” (p. 229). Karabulut, Aktas, Gürçayir, Yilmaz, and Gökmen’s (2015) study revealed that 73.1% of the patients stated that pain interfered with their sleep (p. 21). According to Mouch and Sonnega (2012), “it is considered that effective pain management, effective communication with the patients and giving information about pain management after surgery are influential in increasing comfort levels” (p.22). Another comfort measure revealed through Mouch and Sonnega’s (2012) study is the positive effect spirituality and religion has for cardiac patients’ recovery and stress level. Education on sleep and sleep hygiene entail comfort measures, which is why the Theory of Comfort enhances my Capstone Project