Katharine Kolcaba Relief

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Kolcaba was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1944. She earned her Nursing diploma from St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1965, then went on to graduate in 1987 from Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing at Case Western Reserve University. Kolcaba earned her Ph.D. in Nursing in 1997. She specialized in Gerontology, End of Life/Long Term Care interventions, Comfort Studies, Instrumental Development, Nursing Theory, and Nursing Research (Petiprin, 2023). She then went on to develop her Theory of Comfort in the 1990’s. Katharine Kolcaba defines comfort as the immediate experience of being strengthened in one or more defined contexts of comfort: physical, psychospiritual, sociocultural, and environmental (Potter, et al., 2023). Katharine Kolcaba …show more content…

I picked this theory because I think it is important in nursing practice. Comfort can play a very important role in providing patients with relief, easing anxiety, and promoting comfort for caregivers. Comfort theory helps to give patients relief with pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods. A pharmacological method nurses can use is administering pain medications. The medication’s effect allows patients to feel relief (Ido, et al., 2019). Nonpharmacological methods include providing reassurance, information, hope, and listening to the patient (Lin, et al., 2023). Secondly, comfort can relieve anxiety. Comfort Theory can provide a sense of organization and relaxation for the patient who is being cared for. When the comfort of patients and/or their families is prioritized, they are more likely to exhibit health-seeking behaviors. Lastly, The Comfort Theory can help out caregivers, including staff at the hospital. Comfort theory not only enhances the experience for patients receiving care, but it also supports the well-being of healthcare …show more content…

The Comfort Theory aligns with my beliefs and values for an abundance of reasons. First off, the Comfort Theory emphasizes empathy and compassion. I think it is important to be able to fully understand and empathize with a patient’s emotions, experiences, and feelings. This can make caring for the patient more effective and personal. “If a patient is comfortable, they will feel better both emotionally and physically, which will help them recover quicker.” (Ido, et al., 2019). Secondly, I believe ethical practice is important, and the Comfort Theory exhibits that importance. In every aspect of providing care, it's important to follow ethical principles and professional standards. Registered nurses often face ethical dilemmas when caring for patients whose lives are at stake. They must adhere to protocols and best practices while respecting each patient's wishes and preferences for care (American Nursing Association, 2023). This is done by promoting the well-being of patients, avoiding harm, treating everyone fairly, and ensuring comfort-focused

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