Comfort Theory has Relevance to Nursing
Kolkaba’s Comfort Theory (CT), developed in the 1990s, has myriad applications to nursing practice in general, and is extremely relevant to nursing practice in diverse settings today. CT affects the institution, the caregiver, and the patient. Aspects of hospital care affected by CT are, “ patient satisfaction (HCHAPS scores!), cost savings, improved access, decreased morbidity rates, decreased hospitalizations and readmissions, improved health-related outcomes, efficiency of services and billing, and positive cost-benefit ratios” (The Comfort Line website, 2010). In today’s healthcare business arena, “interest in the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, or CAHPS, among providers has never been greater — in part because later this year, data from the hospital version of that survey will start influencing Medicare payments” (Bush, 2012, para. 1). The application of CT positively affects patient satisfaction and therefore can enhance CAHPS scores translating into financial rewards for hospitals.
“Comfort Theory is also being used as an organizing framework for the Magnet application process” (Kolcaba, 2006), and is helpful when applying for institutional recognition such as AACN Beacon Award, and JCAHO Gold Seal of Approval (The Comfort Line website, 2010). Large healthcare institutions implement CT to improve patient outcomes and nursing satisfaction, which in turn improves nurse retention. Kolcaba has written articles demonstrating use of CT in nursing care plans, advanced directives, pediatrics, hospice, orthopedics, and
peri-anesthesia settings. “Interventions based on the comfort needs of the patients as well as instruments to measure the extent of the outcome of comfort are entirely within the realm of nursing care, and both are proposed to be strongly related to quality of care and patient satisfaction”(Kolcaba, 1992). Comfort Theory has great relevance in nursing
practice in large hospitals and small outpatient settings; has relevance when applied to caregivers and enhancement of their satisfaction; and relevance to the improvement of patient comfort and outcomes.
“Comfort Theory is also being used as an organizing framework for the Magnet application process” (Kolcaba, 2006), and is helpful when applying for institutional recognition such as AACN Beacon Award, and JCAHO Gold Seal of Approval (The Comfort Line website, 2010). Large healthcare institutions implement CT to improve patient outcomes and nursing satisfaction, which in turn improves nurse retention. Kolcaba has written articles demonstrating use of CT in nursing care plans, advanced directives, pediatrics, hospice, orthopedics, and
peri-anesthesia settings. “Interventions based on the comfort needs of the patients as well as instruments to measure the extent of the outcome of comfort are entirely within the realm of nursing care, and both are proposed to be strongly related to quality of care and patient satisfaction”(Kolcaba, 1992). Comfort Theory has great relevance in nursing
practice in large hospitals and small outpatient settings; has relevance when applied to caregivers and enhancement of their satisfaction; and relevance to the improvement of patient comfort and outcomes.