Date
Fall 2022
Document Type
Scholarly Project
Department
College of Nursing
First Advisor
Joy Deupree
Abstract
Problem statement: Veterans in the preoperative setting may be exposed to interaction with strangers, fear, pain, and decreased comfort leading to increased anxiety. Some veterans cannot cope with preoperative anxiety and become extremely agitated and uncooperative, resulting in surgery cancellation or pharmaceutical intervention (Tan et al., 2020). Patients with anxiety experience increased blood pressure, heart rate, and gastrointestinal irritations that may lead to delayed wound healing, increased bleeding, and suppression of the immune system (Liang et al., 2021; Xu et al., 2021). Purpose: The purpose of the evidence-based DNP project was to determine if music would have a positive impact on reducing preoperative anxiety in veterans scheduled for elective surgery at a southeastern Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VAHCS). Methods: Veterans reported to the preoperative unit on the day of surgery and completed all preoperative orders. Upon completion, the DNP student used a recruiting script to assess the veteran’s anxiety. Veterans who reported anxiety were invited to participate in the project. Patients who agreed to participate completed a demographic questionnaire and the Visual Analogue Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) then listened to music through earbuds for at least 30 minutes, depending on the wait time for surgery. Before leaving the preoperative unit, patients removed their earbuds and completed an additional questionnaire and the VAS-A. Data for the project was collected between July 2022 and September 2022. Analysis: The questionnaires and the VAS-A were completed in Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). Data from REDCap was exported to Intellectus Statistics for variable comparisons and statistical analysis to determine if listening to music impacted preoperative anxiety. Implications for practice: Implementing music as an intervention before surgery may reduce preoperative anxiety, decrease surgery cancellation, and decrease postoperative complications.
Recommended Citation
Kirkland, Linda J., "The Impact of Music on Preoperative Anxiety in Veterans" (2022). Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects. 23.
https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/dnp_projects/23
Rights
© 2022, Linda J Kirkland