katherine kolkaba

• katharine kolkaba theory of comfort
• type of comfort

  relief - state of the patient who has had a specific need met

  ease - the state of calm or contentment

  transcendence - state in which one rises above one's problem or pain.
• context in which comfort occurs:

  physical - pertaining to bodily sensations

  psychospiritual - pertaining to internal awareness of self, including esteem, concept, sexuality and meaning in one;s life

  environmental - pertaining to the external surrounding , conditions, and influences

  social - pertaining to interpersonal, family, and societal relationship.
• health care needs - needs for comfort arising from stressful health care situations that cannot be met by recipients' traditional support systems.
• comfort intervention - nursing actions designed to address specific needs of recipient; including psychological, social, cultural, etc.
• intervening variables - interacting forces that influence recipients' perception of total comfort consist of past experience, age, attitude, etc.
• comfort - the state experienced by recipients of comfort interventions
• health seeking behaviors - a broad catergory of outcomes related to the pursuit of health as defined by recipient in consultation with the nurse
• best practices - use healthcare intervention based on evidence to produce best possible patient and family outcome
• institutional integrity - corporations, communities, schools, hospitals, regions, states, and countries that possess qualities of being complete, whole, sound, upright, appealing, ethical , and sincere.
• best policies - institutional or regional policies ranging from protocols for procedures and medical conditions to access and delivery of health care