...though he is just waiting for her to die. Mrs. X is at risk for social isolation as she has very few outside relationships. Mrs. X is a recent isolate as her isolation began in her old age (Kramer-Kile et al., 2012). The comfort theory, by Katharine Kolcaba, describes comfort as “an immediate desirable outcome of nursing care” (Kolcaba, 2010, p. 4). Comfort is described as having three forms, relief, ease and transcendence (Kolcaba et al., 2006). Relief is met in a client if their specific comfort needs, such as pain, are met. Ease is met in a client, if they are in a state of relaxation and are not experiencing anxiety. Transcendence occurs when the client has the ability to rise over their problems or pain. (Kolcaba et al., 2006)...
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...Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory Kelly Henderson Professional Transition I/HSC-175 September 30, 2013 Mrs. Suzanne Boese, RN-BC, PHN, MSN/Ed Explanation of the Comfort Theory The origin of the word nurse is derived from the Latin word nutricius, meaning “(person) that nourishes” (Merriam-Webster, 2013). Historically, the concept of comfort was recognized as an essential praxis of nursing because of antiquated medical practices and the lack of development of medications. Often times, comfort was all a nurse could provide. Presently, the progression of medicine has allowed us to focus on healing and curing our patients. While coordinating care and interventions, nurses often feel overwhelmed by the tenacity of the tasks required to return their patients to homeostasis. What they often overlook, is what their patients still desire the most—comfort. Although comfort has always been a defining characteristic within the nursing profession, the true meaning of the concept is subjective—per the patient’s perspective. Recognizing this, nursing scholar, Dr. Katharine Kolcaba developed the comfort theory. She defines comfort as “the immediate experience of being strengthened by having needs for relief, ease, and transcendence met in four contexts (physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental)” (Kolcaba, 2003). Kolcaba further clarifies “relief as the state of having a specific comfort met; ease as the state of calm and contentment; and transcendence as the state in...
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...Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort Dana M. Watson Lenoir-Rhyne University Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort Introduction Today’s healthcare focus is on providing patient-centered, safe and effective care for improved patient outcomes. This focus is not only important for the patient’s health, but has become vital for the financial well-being of healthcare organizations. The United States has consistently ranked among the highest in healthcare costs and the lowest in improving patient outcomes when compared to other industrialized nations (Davis, Stremikis, Squires, & Schoen, 2014). There are multiple national organizations and initiatives designed to improve the state of healthcare in the U.S. and this topic is often debated at all levels of government. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), along with the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) developed a standard set of survey questions which are publically reported designed to measure patient’s perceptions of their “hospital experience.” The survey instrument is called the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems (HCAHPS) which allows hospitals and consumers the ability to compare hospitals to one another on topics important to patients. The survey also serves as a tool to enhance accountability through transparency and creates incentives for hospitals to improve the quality of the care they provide (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2014). Nursing plays a...
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...Katharine Kolcaba's Theory of Comfort Kelly Ferreira Summer, 2004. In the early part of the 20th century, comfort was the central goal of nursing and medicine. Comfort was the nurse's first consideration. A "good nurse" made patients comfortable. In the early 1900's, textbooks emphasized the role of a health care provider in assuring emotional and physical comfort and in adjusting the patient's environment. For example, in 1926, Harmer advocated that nursing care be concerned with providing an atmosphere of comfort. In the 1980's, a modern inquiry of comfort began. Comfort activities were observed. Meanings of comfort were explored. Comfort was conceptualized as multidimensional (emotional, physical, spiritual). Nurses provided comfort through environmental interventions. It was in this decade that Kolcaba began to develop a theory of comfort when she was a graduate student at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland, Ohio. She is currently a nursing professor at the University of Akron in Ohio. Kolcaba's (1992) theory was based on the work of earlier nurse theorists, including Orlando (1961), Benner, Henderson, Nightingale, Watson (1979), and Henderson and Paterson. Other non-nursing influences on Kolcaba's work included Murray (1938). The theory was developed using induction (from practice and experience), deduction (through logic), and from retroaction concepts (concepts from other theories). The basis of Kolcaba's theory is a taxonomic...
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...The Comfort Care Concept at End of Life Introduction End of life is a concept that is often ignored despite the fact that everyone will die some day. It is because death is a part of life that people are familiar with comfort care given at the end of life. Comfort care is offered when someone is dying, and when the end is predictable. Comfort care is an essential part of nursing care at the end of life. It is care that helps or soothes a person who is dying. The goal is to prevent or relieve suffering as much as possible while respecting the dying person’s wishes (NIH, 2012). The goal of comfort care in nursing is the immediate state of being strengthened by having the needs for relief, ease, and transcendence addressed in the four contexts of holistic human experience: physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental (Kolcaba, 2010). I have worked in the oncology field of nursing for 16 years and have seen several patients go through the end-of-life process. I have seen the better outcome of the dyeing process take place, this is when all four holistic human aspects are met, but sadly I have also seen a few complete the process without having one or more of the holistic context met. I must emphasize that delivering exceptional nursing comfort care to the patients who are in their final days or even hours prior to death, is just as vitally important as delivering critical care to the acutely or critically ill patients. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate...
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...behind the delivery of health care. Shi & Singh bring to light that the medical model and current care standards still remain highly focused on the ill. This can be improved upon and changed with the incorporation of a holistic nursing approach and an emphasis on preventative care to improve community health (Shi & Singh, 2015, p. 73). Proper treatment requires support and understanding of all aspects of each patient. A nurse should aim to provide care for the individual on every level not just the diagnosis that he/she was admitted for. This requires providing relief not only to the physical ailments, but also the mental, social and spiritual aspects of the individual. A nursing theory that really inspires and envelops my personal philosophy of nursing is Katharine Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort. Nightingale’s early recommendation of combining professional and spiritual goals/ attitude when caring for her patients. ...
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...Introduction Chronic pain is one of the most frequent diagnosis and the most common problem for which elderly patients in the clinical setting seek help. Chronic pain refers to an unpleasant, distressful and uncomfortable feeling. Studies have shown that chronic pain is often undertreated even when the prevalence rates and syndromes are well understood. The means of relief are within practitioners’ capabilities to provide care. With careful assessment and a comprehensive plan of care that addresses the various aspects of the patients needs; chronic pain can be controlled in the vast majority of cases. Thus, awareness and provision of basic and specialized interventions can ensure comfort and improve quality of life. However, chronic pain left untreated or undertreated may cause suffering. This will also cause disease-mediated symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and loss of mobility. Needless to say, there are accompanying emotional states such as depression, anxiety, and a sense of uselessness. This paper will explore the under treatment of chronic pain among the elderly, its defining attributes, the use of an analysis model and its relationship to the concept. Identify a nursing theoretical framework used to analyze and resolve the problem. Also, an attempt will be made to identify an evidence based practice and research to support strategies for the resolution of the problem. Problem Under treatment of Chronic Pain in the Elderly However, most often than...
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...UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF NURSING SPRING SESSION 2008 NURSING 607.57 ASSIGNMENT # 3 SCHOLARLY PAPER title: sound, spirituality and Healing for the family experiencing terminal cancer: a case study of the application of mantras Submitted by: Rosato, Mr. Giuseppe Date of Submission: July 18th, 2008 Submitted to: Dr. Carole-Lynne Le Navenec sound, spirituality and Healing for the family experiencing terminal cancer: a case study of the application of mantras ABSTRACT Given the growing interest in North America for CAM, complementary and/or alternative medicine (diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not presently considered to be part of conventional medicine) and holistic healthcare, health care professionals within the regulation imposed by their professional organization, have the ability to expand the realm of conventional medicine (medicine as practiced by holders of M.D. [medical doctor] or D.O. [doctor of osteopathy] degrees and by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses) to a holistic healthcare system by integrating CAM modalities such as acupressure, guided imagery, humor, massage, meditation, therapeutic touch/healing touch, prayer and arts in general into their profession. This paper explores a CAM and holistic treatment/healing modality, Mantra Therapy, that conforms to three types of CAM as defined by the United States government...
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