title: An Evaluation of Patient Comfort During Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the difference in the level of comfort between psychiatric inpatients who received a warmed blanket and psychiatric inpatients who did not receive a warmed blanket.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive pilot study from a convenience sample of 37 psychiatric patients aged 18-59. Subject's level of comfort was measured with Kolcaba's verbal rating scale (VRS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Independent t-tests showed that the VRS mean score was lower in the control group (6.81) than the experimental group (7.29).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comfort is central to nursing and there has been little research regarding the effects of warm topical applications in the psychiatric hospital setting. Warmed blankets are not routinely offered to patients in the psychiatric setting. The use of warmed blankets may increase patient comfort.
authors: Radford University School of Nursing, Radford, Virginia, USA.
authors: Melanie D
authors: MD
authors: Parks
authors: University Center on Aging & Health, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.|MSASS, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors: Diana Lynn
authors: DL
authors: Morris
authors: The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio, USA.|Ursuline College, Akron, Ohio, USA.
authors: Katharine
authors: K
authors: Kolcaba
authors: Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors: Patricia E
authors: PE
authors: McDonald
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001512:Bedding and Linens; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009742:Nursing Theory; D000070659:Patient Comfort / Q000592:standards*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D057566:Self Report; D013696:Temperature; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Comfort theory; nursing intervention; warmed blanket