Effects of Music Therapy on Pain, Anxiety and Length of Stay of Patients with Laparoscopic Hysterectomy in the Postanesthesia Care Unit

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of music therapy on pain, anxiety and length of stay of patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). METHODS: Sixty patients who received laparoscopic hysterectomy under general anesthesia from a PACU in a university hospital located in Cheonan city participated in this study. The experimental group (n=30) was offered the option to listen to their preferred music by using MP3 players and headphones for 30 minutes. The control group (n=30) received routine postoperative nursing care. Visual analogue scale was used to measure participants' pain and anxiety, length of stay in the PACU was examined by using their medical records. Data were collected from December 2013 to February 2014 and analyzed by descriptive statistics, chi2-test, Fisher's exact test, and independent t-test using SPSS version 21.0. RESULTS: The result showed that the level of post-operative pain (t=2.44, p=.018), anxiety (t=2.37, p=.021), and the length of stay in PACU (t=3.06, p=.004) significantly decreased in the experimental group as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: This study indicated that music therapy with the patients' preferred music showed positive effects. Therefore, it can be used as a therapeutic intervention for postoperative pain management of patients with laparoscopic hysterectomy.