The Effect of Complementary Music Therapy on the Patient's Postoperative State Anxiety, Pain Control, and Environmental Noise Satisfaction

Journal

Medsurg Nursing

Year

2013

Abstract

Postoperative pain is difficult to manage with analgesia alone. Complementary interventions such as music therapy provide a level of distraction, thus promoting comfort. A quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design was used in this study. The control group received the standard of care. The intervention group received complementary music therapy in the form of pre-programmed MP3 players, in addition to the standard of care. Outcome measures were collected upon enrollment (Time One) and for the next 2 consecutive days (Time Two and Time Three). A significant difference was found from Time One to Time Two in pain management (t=3.938, p<0.001) and environmental noise satisfaction (t=3.457, p=0.001), while there was no change in state anxiety (t=0.373, p=0.711). The intervention group experienced improved pain management (t=7.385, p<0.011) and environmental noise satisfaction over time (t=4.371; p<0.001); however, there was no improvement in state anxiety (t=1.47; p=0.159). The findings suggest music therapy decreases pain and environmental noise perception, although there was no effect on state anxiety.

Music and Health Institute Terms

Anxiety; Anxiety Scales; Hospital Setting; Hospitalized Patients; Music Listening; Music Medicine; Pain; Pain Management and Control; Pain Score or Rating; Postoperative Pain; Postoperative Patients; Recorded Music Listening; Self-Report Measures; Surgery; Surgical Patients

Indexed Terms

Anxiety; Noise; Postoperative Pain; Patient Satisfaction

Study Type

Quasi-Experimental Study; Quantitative Methods

PubMed ID

24358573

Document Type

Article

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