Have you ever thought about incorporating music therapy into your bucket of nursing interventions? According to the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA, http://www.musictherapy.org), "music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program."
The AMTA also states that:
* music therapy can make a difference in patients' responses to crisis and trauma.
* music therapy helps patients develop self-confidence, and coping strategies for anxiety and helplessness.
* positive physiologic changes of music therapy include decreases in heart rate, BP, and muscle tension in trauma patients.
* music therapy can be used for patients with Alzheimer disease, autism, and those in mental health facilities.
The thought of adding a musical therapist to our traditional healthcare team is definitely an interesting concept. Read more about music therapy in Jessica Crowley's article starting on page 15, which focuses on using musical interventions in older adult patients.
Does music therapy really work? About 3 years ago, I was admitted to one of our local hospitals with supraventricular tachycardia due to Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, a congenital cardiac conduction abnormality. My heart rate was 180 beats/minute when I arrived in the ED. After initial treatment, I was admitted to the step-down unit with a resting heart rate of 120 beats/minute.
While I was waiting for catheter ablation, the holistic nurse came in to visit. We'd worked together for years, so I was familiar with her practice, but I wasn't sure that I bought into it, and she knew that. She left me a relaxation CD and said, "Just in case you're curious." I was bored, so I decided to perform my own little study because I had a bedside monitor. I tried my best to become captivated by the soothing sounds of the music. After about 20 minutes I glanced at the bedside monitor, and was amazed to see that I was in normal sinus rhythm at 80 beats/minute. My heart rate actually dropped 40 beats/minute with the music therapy.
Incorporating a music therapist into all of our healthcare teams would be great, but may be unlikely for most of us. But some of the lessons we can learn from our music therapy colleagues could be incorporated into our practice.
Until the next time, be healthy, be happy, be great advocates for your patients, and think about nursing interventions with a beat!
AnneMarie Palatnik, MSN, RN, APN-BC