Abstract
This study involved innovative research in a novel field, namely ‘object therapy’, within the framework of astudent-selected component (SSC) undertaken by second year, Phase 1 Medicine students at University College London.The project had a series of intrinsic aims: to provide medical students with communication skills, methods of assessingwellbeing and research techniques and to evaluate the potential of museum object handling as an enrichment activity inhospitals. Five medical students undertook museum object handling activities at 24 patient’s bedsides in order to assessthe psychological impact of ‘object therapy’ using standard Quality of Life (QoL) measures. Quantitative analysesindicated an increase in overall well being and patient’s perception of their health status at the end of the session.Qualitative analyses revealed patients felt positive about the role of object handling sessions as a distraction fromeveryday ward life. The study showed that this is a novel enrichment activity which has the potential to enhancepatient’s lives whilst in hospital. The SSC provided valuable communication and research skills to students in theirpre-clinical year, affording an opportunity to interact with patients, gain ward experience and an appreciation of theimportance of considering the whole person when treating a patient.
Highlights
The clinical basis for this research lies in the fundamental idea that improving the quality of the hospital environment and enriching patient’s lives whist in hospital can have a positive effect for patients and staff
The students made a combined total of 35 visits to University College Hospital (UCH) and interviewed 24 patients; patients suffered from a variety of illnesses, almost most were suffering from respiratory disorders, and were over 60 years of age
This study has demonstrated that offering a novel student-selected component (SSC) can have a range of positive benefits for students, staff and patients
Summary
The clinical basis for this research lies in the fundamental idea that improving the quality of the hospital environment and enriching patient’s lives whist in hospital can have a positive effect for patients and staff. This was perhaps first recorded by Florence Nightingale in 1859 who noted that:. Since further clinical evidence has shown that arts in health interventions have several positive therapeutic and medical outcomes for patients including: reduction of stress, reduction of depression and anxiety, reduced blood pressure, reduced pain intensity, reduced need for medication, improved mental health and reduced length of stay (Staricoff, 2006). Macnaughton has recently argued that art in hospitals may have a wider role than purely providing a therapeutic environment and that hospitals may be being used as a cultural resource (Macnaughton, 2007)
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