Introduction
Establishing a positive relationship between healthcare providers and their patients is a cornerstone of improved health outcomes and adherence to the assigned treatment. In the aftermath of surgical treatment, patients must experience general comfort that is conducive to their recovery and improving quality of life (Wu, 2022). Research supports the hypothesis that comfort nursing can alleviate patients’ major concerns after surgery.
For example, in their study, Gao et al. (2021) found that compared with the control group, the intervention group that practiced comfort nursing experienced fewer complications, lower length of stay, quicker recovery time, as well as first food intake, ambulation, and first bowel movement. Miao’s (2022) results were concerned with the psychological functioning of patients, and it was revealed that comfort care helped improve social functioning and emotional and physical well-being, as well as reduce bodily pain. These findings suggest that nurses must integrate the advantages of comfort nursing to care for patients after surgery.
Designing a ‘Comfort Contract’ for Post-Surgical and Chronic Discomfort Management
Within the established “comfort contract,” it is essential to empower patients on their journey to recovery and build positive relationships that will allow for gathering more information about patients, which is essential for making recommendations on recovery. Therefore, nurses should act as sources of support and empathy for patients. Empathy may be illustrated by showing that nurses understand the feelings and needs of their patients and can tend to them within the care delivery process.
Empowering patients is possible by helping them address such emotional challenges as stress and anxiety over their health and the lack of confidence and independence in decision-making (Kwame & Petrucka, 2021). Nurses can relate to patients by drawing on their own experiences, both personal and professional. When aiming to empower patients, it is important that within the comfort care process, nurses show them that they are not alone and that the emotional barriers to recovery can be overcome.
Transparency through patient education also plays a vital role in ensuring patients experience the best levels of care after surgery. Specifically, nurses must advise their patients on the results of the operation, explain possible symptoms, listen to patients’ needs, observe psychological changes, and be ready to answer any questions. In this process, nurse-patient relationships can be strengthened through positive communication skills to avoid resistance to patients. Patient-centered care is important in such a case because it enables nurses to look for particular patient qualities to understand their personality and fine-tune their approach to communication accordingly. Moreover, as patients may have different pain levels after surgery, nurses must meet these considerations when caring for them.
Conclusion
Overall, the “comfort contract” that guides nurses’ actions to care for patients in the post-operative context entails finding an approach that will be the most beneficial for a specific patient and their characteristics. When patients see that their unique needs and concerns are addressed, they are more likely to show appreciation and a positive attitude toward recovery after surgery. Nurses must show that they understand the needs and feelings of their patients and provide empathetic care. Even though the “comfort contract” may differ for every patient, it should follow the basic principles of patient-centered care, empathy, attention to physical and emotional needs, and nurses acting as support systems and advocates for their patients.
References
Gao, Y., Huang, J., Zheng, Y., & Han, J. (2021). Effect of comfort nursing on postoperative quality of life, negative emotions and nursing satisfaction in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. American Journal of Translational Research, 13(12), 13825–13834.
Kwame, A., & Petrucka, P. M. (2021). A literature-based study of patient-centered care and communication in nurse-patient interactions: Barriers, facilitators, and the way forward. BMC Nursing, 20(158). Web.
Miao Y. (2022). The effect of comfort care on postoperative quality of life, psychological status, and satisfaction of pancreatic cancer patients. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM. Web.
Wu, L., Chen, Y., Zhang, J., & Yu, H. (2022). Review on comfort nursing interventions for patients undergoing neurosurgery and general surgery. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine: eCAM. Web.