Implementing A Specific Nursing Theory

Nursing theories are a great framework in nursing practice and assists in the positive impact in patient care. According to Kuhrik, Laub, Kuhrik, & Atwater (2011), there are thoughts that in the future nursing will embark on some challenges especially oncology, due to the fact of an aging population among the elderly. The authors believe that the theoretical framework enhances the practice of nursing and aides in staff retention, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. However, due to the need to stay abreast on current cancer treatment modalities and continued education, the daily enthusiasm needed to care for the terminally ill can often times be physically and emotionally draining. Thus, the concern for veteran nurses retaining their positions and newly graduated nurses having proper training is crucial in providing optimal patient care and providing patient safety at the same time (Kuhrik et al, p. 114). In the world of nursing, burnout is an ongoing issue that nurses face due to the physical and emotional demands they deal with on a daily basis, which causes the turnover rate to increase (Henry, 2014; Edmonds, Lockwood, Bezjak & Nyhof-Young, 2012). The use of Neuman’s System Model Theory when properly employed as it views the holistic approach to care can also address the concerns of nurse burnout, not only among oncology nurses but nursing in general. This assignment will include the following: concerns of nurse burnout in

Theory development stems from personal experiences, intuition, and knowledge of the theorist (Burns et al., 2013). When a scholar develops a theory, it has to be tested through research. The findings of the study are then presented to experts in the area of academics and the field of practice (Burns et al., 2013). The presentation of the findings allows experts to provide constructive criticism, highlight the pros and cons of the theory, and acknowledge whether or not the theory can be accepted as a guide to practice. This theory evaluation paper will give the reader a theory description, theory analysis, and an assessment of Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory of nursing (Alligood et al., 2010).

Those two theories are Florence Nightingale’s theory of the important of the environment and Katharine Kolcaba’s theory of comfort. Both of these theories are lacking in the emergency room because of the lack a therapeutic environment for these patients. The goal for most emergency room physician is to keep the patient safe until the patient can be moved to an inpatient pscyharitic unit (Nicks & Manthey, 2012, p. 2). By the physicians having this mentality, it does not allow the patient to start his or her healing process in the emergency room while the patient is boarding waiting for an inpatient bed to become available. With the implementation of both of the nursing theories mentioned above this writer believes that it will change the environment that the patient is in and will teach the physicians to start to treat these patients and in turn, it will provide the patients with the quality care that he or she

The comfort theory is a nursing theory that was first developed in the 1990s by Katharine Kolcaba. The Theory of Comfort considers patients to be individuals, families, institutions, or communities in need of health care (Petiprin, 2015). The environment in which this theory can be applied is in any aspect of the patient, family, or institutional surroundings that can be controlled by a nurse or a patient’s loved one by means to enhance their comfort. Health is considered to be optimal functioning in the patient, as defined by the patient, group, family, or community (Kolcaba, 2005).

The limitations could be the generalizability and the absolute certainty to say that this will work for all nursing environments. The sample sizes vary and can be small in one of the studies. The methods of the research are interviews and another subjective sampling, however; this is the only means to assess the situation which is at hand completely. The studies do not address how to correct or adapt a non-magnet hospital to perform in a more nurse friendly manner to address the nurse environment. They further do not expand on any attempts at correction these hospitals have taken to improve the environment.

The activities include physical and occupational therapy, nutrition counseling, and case management ("Community Health Nursing," 2013).

Different facilities have their own benefits for caring for patients, along with their staff members as well. Healthcare reform are already urging hospitals and critical care centers to create ways to increase efficiency throughout their facility, along with, the hot topic of streamlining costs. This also has its own pros and cons which could be for the better or for the worse for all that are

Katherine Kolcaba is a new middle range theorist who began her nursing career on a dementia unit where she first came up with the ideas of comfort in nursing (Peterson & Bredow, 2017). Kolcaba published her comfort theory in 1991, after being a professor and researcher at a University in Cleveland. The foundation of the theory is incorporated with the ideas of Florence Nightingale. From the early writings of Florence Nightingale, laid the foundation of the fundamental principle that comfort is a necessary element in the treatment and healing practice of patients these days. Many nurses may practice Kolcaba 's theoretical framework to promote patient comfort without realizing it. Explicit applications of comfort theory can benefit nursing practice (Krinsky, Murillo & Johnson, 2014).

In Comfort Theory, comfort is an immediate desirable outcome of nursing care. This practice takes a holistic approach. Kolcaba explained that comfort exists in three characteristics: relief, ease and transcendence. Relief is the state in which the patient has satisfied a specific need. Comfort as ease is a state of calmness or satisfaction related to the satisfaction of specific needs that cause discomfort or interfere with comfort. Comfort as transcendence is understood as a condition in which individuals rise above their own problems or pain, or the highest level of comfort, based on the satisfaction of needs of education and motivation that empower users to develop their potential and adopt healthy lifestyle habits, and carry out their activities with the maximum possible independence (Kolcaba,

Healthcare professionals strive to center their care around their patients, only benefitting and never causing harm to the patient. This concept is aptly called patient-centered care and is central to nursing care. Nurses spend time learning about this type of care and spend their careers focussing on care that is patient centered. While many concepts contribute to patient-centered care this paper will highlight the importance of safety, sleep, and rest as they relate to patient-centered care.

Kolcaba discusses how the Theory of Comfort aligns so well with healthcare’s current focus on the “patient experience,” particularly in light of the patient’s perceptions of his/her care affecting value-based purchasing and hospital reimbursement rates. As mentioned in the introduction, a hospital’s HCAHPS ranking provides the public with transparent information about the quality of care being provided. In

The concept of comfort is one that nurses provide every shift; however, it is not always easy to define. Katherine Kolcaba’s Comfort Theory will be used. Walker and Avant’s method for concept analysis will be used. The first step is to select a concept, which is comfort. The next step is determining the purpose of the analysis. The purpose is to define what comfort means and what comfort measures are and how they are used in nursing. The third step is to identify the uses of the concept of comfort. This includes definitions of term comfort and a literature search. The fourth step is to determine the defining attributes of comfort. This allows for insight into the

Nurses already have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders, when caring for patients. When caring for a patient the nurse is the one constantly overserving and caring for the patient, regardless of the healthcare setting. The new service model will definitely have a huge impact on how the health care team manages care to each patient. This will not only affect the patient but those caring for the patients as well. Nurses have reported that this new service model for shorter hospital stays has really affected them in numerous ways. Nurses have reported that it has caused them to experience the following, “poor self-rated health, greater sleeping troubles, work–family conflict, stress and burnout, lower job satisfaction, and a greater

Kolcaba middle-range comfort theory was presented in the early 1990s, and it included three technical senses of comfort; relief, ease, and transcendence (Kolcaba, 2003). The nurse needs to identify the specific discomfort and the support required. After a nurse has identified and provided comfort interventions, the patient will move through the three technical senses. Kolcaba coined the patient’s comfort needs are met as the relief phase. She describes the next stage as ease and is reach once the patient is content.

In the last two decades, nursing care delivery has changed tremendously. According to Finkelman, (2016), nursing care models attempt to organize the process of providing nursing care so that there is consistency in understanding what care is required when patients are unable to provide for their own needs, and how this care should be carried out. The model of nursing care used varies greatly from one facility to another and from one set of patient circumstances to another. Nursing care models may be found in any area where nurses are practicing and providing care: home care, long-term care, acute care, and psychiatric and community settings. All of these practice areas involve the nurse interacting with patients. In my nursing practice in