Patient Warming Plays a Significant Role in Patient Satisfaction, Clinical Outcomes

Specific survey findings include: ¹⁰

The Comfort Theory

Developed by Katharine Kolcaba, PhD, RN, C, the Comfort Theory is based on the “strengthening aspect of comfort as being central to nursing”⁷ and focuses on improving the patient experience in four contexts:

Physical

Psycho-spiritual

Socio-cultural

Environmental

Patient warming and thermal control are essential elements of the physical and environmental contexts outlined by Kolcaba.

The Comfort Theory proposes that when patients are comfortable on these four levels, they are more likely to engage in health-seeking behaviors that can improve their condition. Healthcare facilities also can benefit from the Comfort Theory in that health-seeking behaviors can lead to reduced costs, increased patient satisfaction and improved outcomes for the facility.⁷

One particular warming method, forced-air warming, has also been shown to reduce patient anxiety before surgery, which is clinically desirable because a patient who is less anxious may require less anesthesia, fewer interventions, and typically has a better overall experience.¹¹