nursing influences such as Dretske, Murray, and Lipsey. Kolcaba (2003) also referenced governing bodies such as the American Nurses Association, International Council of Nurses, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. Kolcaba’s literature review for the concept analysis included several disciplines; nursing, medicine, psychology, psychiatry, ergonomics, and English (Kolcaba & Kolcaba, 1991). In 1992, Kolcaba completed another extensive literature review to incorporate holism into comfort theory. According to Research Gate (2015) Kolcaba’s research has been cited 547 times.
Comfort theory has been adopted by many in the health care field. Southern New Hampshire Medical Center adopted comfort theory when they successfully sought
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These assumptions are testable and useful. As a middle range theory, comfort theory has a limited number of propositions which reflect generalizations beyond specific clinical case studies. However, there are conflicting numbers of propositions in various texts. Kolcaba (2003) reported six propositions, McEwen and Willis (2014) reported eight propositions, and Smith and Parker (2015) divided the concepts into three major parts. The various numbers of propositions reflect variation in parsimonious expression of content rather than conflicting content as the major themes expressed remain consistent. The propositions listed on Kolcaba’s Comfort Line website are discussed in this paper as this author assumed Kolcaba’s website contained the most accurate and current information. Kolcaba (2010a) listed five propositions for comfort theory: Nurses identify the patient’s comfort needs unmet by existing support systems; nurses design interventions to address those needs; the intervening variables are taken into account to design the interventions and reasonable, mutually agreed upon outcomes; if enhanced comfort is achieved, patients are strengthened to engage in health seeking behaviors (HSBs) or a peaceful …show more content…
Comfort theory is comprehensive and understandable. Because Kolcaba (2003) believed consumers of theory must be able to understand and use the theory, the terminology specific to the theory is well described with minimal or uncomplicated definitions. All concepts are theoretically and operationally defined. The operational definitions allow for measurement of comfort and testing of hypotheses. While the definitions, derivations, assumptions, and propositions have evolved over the 20 years since the theory was introduced, they remain consistent. As previously mentioned, this author’s literature search revealed a discrepancy with some references referring to comfort theory and some referring to theory of comfort. Various texts also report conflicting numbers of propositions. Despite the inconsistency in reported numbers of propositions, the basic principles of the theory and propositions remain
K- Describe the limits and boundaries of therapeutic patient-centered care. S- Assess levels of physical and emotional comfort. A- Value seeing health care situations “through patients’ eyes”.
Manipulation of the human condition, by where and with who contentment and satisfaction is found, is fabricated through experiences which dictate direction and purpose. William Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy, As You Like It (1611) explores individuals escaping a world poisoned by man’s inhumanity to man, to an ideal bliss where community thrives from the joyous aura circulating amongst people. Gillian Dawson’s short story, East Wind captures disconnection from place and people as a powerful driving force to find fulfilment. Further, the texts explore comfort and security spurring from the unexpected, revealing change in human nature at an instant.
In this article “On Virtue Ethics”, Rosalind Hursthouse attempts to formulate and defend her moral philosophy of neo-Aristotelian virtue ethics to its rivals utilitarianism and deontology. She is also interested in rebutting claims that virtue ethics cannot give us guidance on what to do in a particular situation because it emphasizes on character formation. She does this by saying that there are claims that virtue ethics cannot be a genuine rival towards utilitarianism and deontology (often referred to as duty ethics), because virtue ethics is “agent-centered” rather than “What sorts of actions should I do?” These claims state that ethical theories should be able to tell us about right actions which utilitarianism and deontology do. However, she fights back by saying that virtue ethics says that right action is an action that is among those available. It is an action that a virtuous human would do characteristically under the circumstances that they are in. She then goes on to say that with virtue ethics the agent is one who has, and exercises, certain character traits which are virtues. This means that virtue is a character trait a human being needs to flourish in life. She compares this with the other two saying that while utilitarianism and deontology introduce consequences and moral rule, virtue ethics does not focus on that and rather focuses on the virtuous agent and the criteria that person follows.
This was a two-site level three study which determined that a systemic approach of “Personalized pain treatment and sedation” proved to “improve the patient’s comfort and raise the tolerance threshold for ICU treatment” (Woien, et al., 2012, p. 1552). This study complemented the results and design of the Mansouri, et al. study (2013), and supported the findings of a systematic, methodical, and organized approach to pain and sedation management. This method not only improves HCAHPS scores through increased patient satisfaction, but also gives healthcare providers and medical professionals better capabilities to care for their patients, as well as, use data to support the courses of treatment regarding any changes made to pain management (Woien, et al.
Nursing theories developed by scientists provide a framework for the process of establishing nursing as a profession with a specific body of knowledge including nursing language, and nurse is able to communicate inside in and outside of the profession. Theory supports and defines nursing practice and is used in practice situation to provide solution to the problem, provides guidelines in patient’s quality care, and helps to resolve nursing challenges. The benefits of middle-range theories found primarily in the research studies to address particular client population, in education, patient
Norwalk, CT: Appleton – Century – Crofts. Watson, J. a. The adage of the ad The theory of human care. Retrospective and prospective -. Nursing Science Quarterly.
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2010). Essentials of Nursing Research (7th ed): Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
on which types of emotions we are feeling. When an individual is thinking about comfort
McEwen, M., & Wills, E. (2011). Theoretical Basis for Nursing (3 ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
This paper will focus on stimulus response theories to stress, it will touch upon the controversy surrounding this theory and will look at other explanations to stress in comparison.
Attention Attention is defined as “notice taken of someone or something; the regarding of someone or something as interesting or important”. Attention is an important characteristic of caring in nursing because it helps the patient feel important and acknowledged. Comfort Comfort is defined as “a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint” by the Oxford online dictionary (2016).
Based on Henderson’s theory, we can critique the clarity, generality, simplicity, empirical precision, and derivable consequences. The clarity of Henderson’s theory is great. She provides the information in a way that is clear and to the point. There is no information that is unnecessary or not relevant to her definition. The generality of the theory is high. Henderson’s definition is broad and therefore can be applied to almost all nursing situations. The simplicity of the theory is also high. It is easy to read and understand. The empirical precision of the definition is great as well. It serves its purpose as a basis for basic nursing care and goals for the health of a patient. Lastly, the derivable consequences, or importance, is also great. It provides nurses with a basic understanding of nursing and allows them to have a base to build upon with other nursing
Walker, J., Payne, S., Smith, P., Jarrett, N. (2007) Psychology for Nursing and the Caring Professions. 3rd. ed. Glasgow: McGraw Hill.
Quantitative tests of heart rate, stress/fatigue levels and discomfort reports showed statistically significant improvements in physical and psychological comfort, providing scientific justification for the changes.
The human-thermal environment is not that straight-forward and that can not be expressed numerically. It can not be well defined by the acceptable ambient temperature ranges and It is a very much personal experience that is largely dependent on a lots of number of criteria and it can be largely different from any one person to another person at a same place. It may be suggested that an environment can be told to achieve very reasonable comfort at thetime when the at least 80 to 90 % of occu...