title: Descriptions of comfort by substance-using and nonusing postpartum women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare definitions of comfort held by a group of postpartum substance users with those of a group of nonusers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The postpartum unit of a large university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The convenience sample constituted 36 postpartum women; half were substance users and half denied substance use. The nonusing participants were matched to the users according to age, race, type of delivery, and parity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative, descriptive.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected through semistructured, individual interviews. Patients defined comfort and described the characteristics and patterns of comfort during the postpartum period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were analyzed into three categories of themes. Attributes of comfort were resolution of pain, resolution of fatigue, satiation of hunger, resolution of individual irritants, and relaxation. Interventions for comfort were standard therapy, supportive presence, and caring nursing approach. Modifiers of comfort were individualized comfort patterns, environmental ease, and maternal concern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comfort is more than the absence of pain. A supportive presence and a caring nursing approach were the most helpful interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of OB/GYN, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sale
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004645:Empathy; D005221:Fatigue / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger; D016555:Matched-Pair Analysis; D016389:Maternal-Child Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D012063:Relaxation / Q000523:psychology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000451:nursing / Q000523:psychology*