An Evaluation of Patient Comfort During Acute Psychiatric Hospitalization.

PURPOSE: 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.

DESIGN AND 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).

FINDINGS: Independent t-tests showed that the VRS mean score was lower in the control group (6.81) than the experimental group (7.29).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: 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.