Music Rx Manual. An Innovative Program Designed for the Hospital Setting

Author(s): Latteier, Carolyn

Abstract: MUSIC RX was the non-medical intervention program designed by Helen Bonny - and partially based on some of the GIM music programs - to be integrated with allopathic treatment of cardiac patients. Contents: What is Music Rx? - Music Rx responds to specific needs - Why music? - Music as Sound Presence - How is Music Rx special? - How to use the Music Rx programs - The procedure - Operating room - Delivery room - Precautions - Doctors and nurses have needs too - Music Rx Taped programs - How Music Rx came to be - Further interest - General bibliography App. A: Music listening for Intensive Coronary Care Units: A Pilot Project (article by helen Bonny) Research bibliography App. B: Musical selections Conclusions (p. 18): The present study was proposed to test the efectiveness of a prepared music listening program for pts in two different hospital ICC units. For this pilot project four testing procedures were used as measures of the physiological, psychological and social relations of patients and personnel to the introduction of music of a sedative nature in this special area of the hospital. The attending nurse was the sole evaluator and upon her dedended the judgements included in this paper. Strengths of using the nurse as evaluator reside in her easein this medical situation, her understanding of pt care, her available presence at all times to the patient. The weakness may relate to bias interms of her double role as evaluator and nurse, her like-dislike of the pt and the music, her level of stress and fatigue, and lack of understadnig af measurement devices. The study may be considered preliminary in that similar testing was not given a no-music control group. Further research in which control options are included and i which seceral observations af the same subject using both hospital and research evaluators is suggested. Significant findings in the direction of decreased heart rate, greater tolerance of pain and suffering, lessened anxiety and depression in pts listening to music in the ICCU suggest greater appreciation by medical personnel of music's use in hospital settings.

Note: The study was replicated - with minor changes of methoodology - with 10 preoperative pts awaiting plastic surgery (Updike & Charles 1987). Results were confirmed.

Keyword(s): Non-medical intervention. Pain reduction. Music medicine

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