I.

Learning content

a. Topic: Katherine Kolcaba (Comfort Theory)

b. References:

Comfort Theory (2011). Nursing theories: A companion to nursing theories and models.
Retrieved from
http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/comfort/theory_Kathy_Kolcaba.html

Elliot, Craig (2008). Introduction to nursing theory. Retrieved from

http://www.articlesbase.com/on line-education-articles/introduction-to-nursing-
theory360867.html

Erickson (Jan., 2012). Nursing theories. Retrieved from

http://nursingplanet.com/theory/modeling_and_olemodeling_theory.html

Kolcaba, K. (2003). Comfort theory and practice: A vision for holistic health care and
research. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Kolcaba, K. (2011) Nursing theory. Retrieved from nursing-

theory.org/nursingtheorists/Katherine-Kolcaba.php

Kolcaba, K. (2007). An introduction to comfort theory. Retrieved from

httI://www.thecomfortline.co

II. LEARNING OBJETIVES

After 30 to 45 minutes of learning activities, the Level I students will be able to:

a. Understand the importance of Comfort Theory and the three forms of comfort, the ease,
relief and transcendence.

b. Know how the theory address the four global concept of nursing.

III. Topic outline/content

Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory states that patient comfort exists in three forms – relief, ease,
and transcendence. Kolcaba related her theory to the four global concepts of human
beings, environment, health, and nursing.

COMFORT THEORY

• The concepts included in the comfort theory are specific and are targeted to address
the comfort level of the patient. If a patient is comfortable, they will feel better both
emotionally and physically, which will help them to recover quicker.

• The comfort theory could potentially be used by the entire healthcare team, not just
the nursing profession.

• This theory can be applied to nursing practice, nursing education, and nursing
research.
• Kolcaba defines comfort as “the immediate state of being strengthened through
having the human needs for relief, ease and transcendence addressed in 4 contexts of
experience”.

3 Human Needs:

Relief. Occurs when specific comfort needs are met, i.e., the relief of postoperative pain by
administering prescribed analgesia.

Ease. Occurs when the patient reaches a comfortable state of contentment, i.e., the feeling
experienced after addressing issues that cause anxiety.

Transcendence. Occurs when the patient is able to rise above challenges or pain, i.e., the
act of listening to his favorite music when nausea persists despite treatment with
antiemetics.

The Theory of Comfort considers patients to be individuals, families, institutions, or

communities in need of health care. The environment is any aspect of the patient, family, or
institutional surroundings that can be manipulated by a nurse or loved one in order to
enhance comfort. Health is considered to be optimal functioning in the patient, as defined
by the patient, group, family, or community.

Comfort Theory’s 4 contexts of experience:

(1) Physical

(2) Psychospiritual

(3) Environmental

(4) Sociocultural

Kolcaba’s comfort theory addresses all four of the global concepts of nursing:

•Nursing includes the use of assessment, interventions and evaluation to address the
comfort needs of the patient.

•Person is the recipient of nursing care; this can be the patient, family, community or
institution.

•Environment is defined as the external surroundings of the patient, which can be changed
to increase a patient’s comfort level.

•Health is the optimal level of functioning of the patient.

In this model, nursing is described as the process of assessing the patient's comfort needs,
developing and implementing appropriate nursing care plans, and evaluating the patient's
comfort after the care plans have been carried out. Nursing includes the intentional
assessment of comfort needs, the design of comfort measures to address those needs, and
the reassessment of comfort levels after implementation. Assessment can be objective,
such as the observation of wound healing, or subjective, such as asking the patient if he or
she is comfortable.

IV Learning procedure

a. Pre-lesson

We will be asking questions to atleast 3 students.

1. For you what is comfort?

2. How can you provide comfort to the patient?

3. What is relief?

b. Lesson proper

Charades

There will be 5 groups and each group should have 1 representative and will choose a
word/s from the bowl and act what was written and the rest of the group will guess what
he/she is portraying. They will be given 1min to guess the words as many as they can.

c. Post lesson (Evaluation)

1. What are the 4 context of experienced?

physical
psychospiritual

environmental

sociocultural

2. What are the 3 human needs?

Relief

Ease

Transendene

3. Who developed the Comfort Theory?

Katherine Kolcaba

4. Is the optimal level of functioning of the patient

5-10. Write your learnings about the comfort theory and how can you apply it as a student
nurse.