Comfort Theory and Practice - Book Review

AORN Journal,  Nov, 2003  by Victoria L. Tiase

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Katharine Kolcaba 2003, 288 pp $37.95 paperback

Whenever I see the word "theory" in a book's title, I typically dismiss the book and move on or resign myself to a relatively dry and tough read. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, to find Comfort Theory and Practice one of the most engaging and easy-to-read books I have encountered in the field of nursing practice.

The purpose of the book is to present the comfort theory, its origins, development, and application to patient care. It also relates the theory to positive patient outcomes and the unique role of nurses in achieving those outcomes. The book concludes by showing how the comfort theory applies to the general human need for comfort.

The book is a first-person account of the development of the comfort theory. The author discusses the origins of the theory in the late 1980s and describes how it has evolved in patient care. In addition to compiling her own ideas on the theory, the author incorporates work that has supported and developed the theory over the years. The reference list is comprehensive.

Each chapter examines a specific topic relating to comfort and includes attributes and examples. It begins with a quote and ends with the author's musings on the quote. This feature is enjoyable because it invites readers to ponder the concepts just presented before moving on to the next chapter.

Incorporating the ideas of the comfort theory in the care of surgical patients is a must. For perioperative nurses, the window is small for providing comfort to patients in particularly anxiety-filled moments. Additionally, as nurses consistently work under high-stress conditions and care for a larger number of patients who are sicker, they need to comfort one another every day.

The book is a tremendous resource and significant in its ability to connect with readers. The appendix even includes questionnaires about comfort care and a comfort scale that nurses can use to quickly assess the comfort levels of their patients. Comfort Theory and Practice should be required reading for all who aspire to obtain or already have obtained their RN license.

This book is available from Springer Publishing, 536 Broadway, New York, NY 10012-3955, http://www.springerpub.com.

VICTORIA L. TIASE

RN, BSN, BA, CNOR

PERIOPERATIVE INSTRUCTOR

NEW YORK PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL

NEW YORK WEILL CORNELL CENTER

NEW YORK

COPYRIGHT 2003 Association of Operating Room Nurses, Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group