Kolcaba developed her nursing theory in the 1990s. It is a middle range nursing theory designed for nursing practice, research, and education. According to her theory, patient comfort exists in three forms: relief, ease, and transcendence. These comforts can occur in four contexts: physical, psychospiritual, environmental, and sociocultural.
Relief comfort usually comes in the form of pain management through medications. When medications are administered, the patient has a sense of relief from the pain. Ease comfort is focused more on the environment and psychological state of the patient. For example, after issues of anxiety are addressed and dealt with, a patient feels at ease. Finally, transcendence comfort comes when a patient is able to rise above challenges that occur in care and recovery.
In this theory, the role of a nurse is to assess a patient’s comfort needs and create a nursing care plan to meet those needs. As a patient’s comfort needs change, the nurse’s interventions change, as well. Through this method, nurses are able to ensure their patients are properly cared for, and that they are comfortable. If a patient is comfortable, he or she will feel emotionally and mentally better, which will aid in recovery.