Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort functions under the concept that the immediate desired outcome of nursing is comfort and focuses on mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional comfort of the patient. Per Kolcaba’s theory there are three ways that patients experience the goal of comfort. They are relief, ease, and transcendence. Comfort can manifest itself in the physical, environmental, sociocultural, and psychospiritual realms. (Nursing theory, n.d.-a)
Nightingale’s Environment Theory focuses on manipulating the patient’s physical environment to positively affect their health and achieve healing of disease. There are ten integral elements to the Environmental Theory, also known as Nightingale’s Canons. A few of Nightingale’s Canons are Ventilation and warming, cleanness, offering hope and advice, and observation. (Nursing Theory, n.d.-b)
Nightingale’s theory focuses on tangible, measurable actions, and outcomes whereas Kolcaba’s theory focuses on the patient’s perception of comfort and discomfort. They both have physical and emotional components. The Kolcaba’s theory makes provisions to manipulate the patient’s physical environment and provide medical intervention to provide physical comfort. Nightingale’s theory seeks to manipulate the patient’s physical environment to promote disease and wound healing. Both theories also have emotional components. Nightingale’s theory does discuss offering hope and advice but is not as heavily focused on psychological elements as Kolcaba’s theory.
I feel that Nightingale’s Environment Theory will be more relevant to my future role as an advanced registered nurse with a focus in Public Health because the ten cannons relevance is timeless. Components such as cleanliness, warmth ventilation and hope continue to prove relevant in promoting individual and community health.
Order this paper