Great Comments

Dear readers,

Thank you all for reading my personal experience about music in the ICU! The blog has been viewed a lot.

I'm happy with all comments that I received from you. It would be lovely to receive more comments. If you know someone with experience with this matter, please let me know. It would also be nice if a larger group of people is reached. You can help realising that by sharing the blog.

Many comments confirm that music has a positive effect on patients and their family/friends in the ICU. Music helped a 15 year old female patient with cerebral palsy in the weaning process! And old-fashion music (1930-1950) helped an old woman during her end-of-life care. 
The ICU can get very busy. The soothing effect of music de-stresses the hard working staff in their lovely care for the critically ill patients. Not only in the ICU, but in other hospital wards music is reported to be of great help as well.

One comment said that long stay ICU patients benefit from the music a lot. It helps prevent delirium in these patients. A few hours after receiving this comment, an article was shared about a study to the effect of music on the conditions that cause delirium. This study confirmed the comment! 

https://healthmanagement.org/c/icu/news/music-helps-prevent-delirium-in-elderly-critical-care-patients

It is important to share that music not only triggers a positive response. Another comment that was received told a story about a man who was in an induced coma due to a severe illness. His partner was allowed to play his favourite music. He did react on the music, but it was a negative response. It made him very restless. Also, the voice from his partner made him restless. She had to be quiet and the music had to be turned off. I think it is possible that he wanted to sing along with the music or talk to his partner, but could not do that because of the induced coma. That could have made him restless.

It’s obvious that sound (music and the voice from a loved one) is still being processed and triggers a response. In the last case, this wasn’t a desirable response, though. Then it is very important that staff can anticipate on the effect.

Thank you for reading,

Bas Meuter