RESUMEN
PURPOSE: To determine if listening to verses of the Qur'an during the immediate postoperative period has an effect on patients' anxiety levels, the number of opioids used to control pain, and the length of stay (LOS) in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU). DESIGN: Randomized Control Trial. Adult Muslim patients who had undergone a laparoscopic cholecystectomy through the Day Surgery Unit were randomly selected using computer-generated sequence into two groups, interventional and control groups. METHODS: The control group listened to the natural environment and received Fentanyl for pain relief, and the interventional group listened to the Qur'an recitation and received Fentanyl for pain relief. A total of 112 (79.4%) participants completed the study. The level of the pain and anxiety was measured using the Wong-Baker Faces pain scale and Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, respectively. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS version 9.3 (Statistical Analysis System, SAS Institute Inc, Cary, North Carolina). FINDINGS: This study compared the effects of Qur'an audio therapy on patients' anxiety levels, opioid consumption, pain, and LOS in the PACU. The findings showed that by listening to chosen verses from the Qur'an in the recovery period post-anaesthesia, anxiety scores were significantly reduced (P = .0001), opiate use was reduced (P = .0081), and overall PACU LOS was also reduced (P = .0083). CONCLUSIONS: Adding the use of listening to the Qur'an as a complementary therapy is a simple and cost-effective measure to reduce the need for narcotics in the PACU, and reduce the overall PACU length of stay. This intervention benefits the patient, the PACU, and reduces health care organization costs.