Review Article
Theory of Comfort and Technological Innovations in Healthcare: A Review of Katharine Kolcaba's Perspective in Nursing Practice
Eva Lobelle Sampayan, Rasha Elsayed Ahmed, Kalaiselvi Duraisamy Pavuthakursar, Darling Jiji, Safaa Ibrahem Shattla
Middle East Research Journal of Nursing; 6-10.
https://doi.org/10.36348/merjn.2026.v06i02.001
There have been changes in the management of patients' medical and health conditions due to increasing digital innovations. To name a few of these innovations, telemedicine, health apps, wearable technologies, mobile health, and artificial intelligence were notable digital transformations in healthcare. The integration of technological innovations provides a promising future for managing health and improving healthcare access. The objective of this review is to determine the significance of the comfort theory and the application of comfort theory, and reflect on how the comfort theory was used in today's technological health innovations. Further, this narrative review article emphasizes the comfort needs of patients from the perspective of Katharine Kolcaba's theory of comfort, looking into some aspects wherein technological advancement was integrated into their healthcare needs. During the analysis of literature and related studies, the majority of the studies presented online were concerned more with conventional care when patients are confined in the hospital, receiving care and treatment. Not much has been discussed about the comfort needs of patients receiving care and treatment through technological innovations such as telehealth or telemedicine and wearable technologies. The author hopes that this review discussion will stimulate future research endeavors concerning the technological innovations of health and the comfort needs of patients. Technological innovations in healthcare pose great challenges to providing comfort to patients receiving care and treatment through digital health tools. The author stresses the importance of paying attention to the increasing technological innovations in the healthcare sector and exploring the comfort level of patients amidst these changes in the healthcare system.