Music as an Intervention in Hospitals

Abstract

A systematic review was conducted to summarise current best evidence on the use of music in hospitals. During the search of the literature it became evident that there were two distinct populations that had participated in studies evaluating music: Hospital Patients and Procedure Patients. Music in the context of this review, was considered to be recorded music played, via a tape recorder or compact disc player, for a patient during a single episode of care. A number of outcomes have been used to evaluate the effectiveness of music, and these include: anxiety, pain, severity of pain, analgesic usage, sedation usage, satisfaction, tolerance, mood. Based on the findings of the systematic review, the use of music in Hospital Patients will: reduce their anxiety, produce a small reduction in the respiratory rate, improve their mood. Music does not have any impact on patients’ heart rate or systolic blood pressure. Based on the findings of the systematic review, the use of music during unpleasant or invasive procedures does not have any impact on: patient anxiety, heart rate or systolic blood pressure, the rating of the severity of pain. Based on limited and at times contradictory evidence, there are suggestions that during unpleasant procedures, music may: reduce the need for sedation and analgesia. Keywords: uses of music, systematic review, effect of music, implication for practice, implementing music in hospitals, implication for research, recommendations Content available only in Romanian.