| Learning Objective #1: Describe the effects of music listening on the post-operative confusion of elders after hip and knee surgery | |||
| Learning Objective #2: Discuss the benefits of using evidence-based post-operative complementary nursing interventions in every-day practice |
Partnership: Orthopedic nurses and physical therapists at a large tertiary care center in South Florida identified postoperative confusion as restricting patients’ ability to return to preoperative wellbeing. Nurse researchers were asked to investigate interventions that could safely be used in this population to reduce postoperative confusion.
Background and Significance: Hip and knee surgeries are the most common surgeries among persons over the age of 75 affecting survival and quality of life. Thirty to 50 percent of elders experience acute confusion after hip or knee surgery and that percentage increases with age. Postoperative confusion inhibits nurses in assisting patients to prepare for rehabilitation and resume preoperative function. Music listening has been shown to be an effective, inexpensive, noninvasive nursing intervention to improve cognitive status in elders.
Method: The study employed a randomized clinical trial of 66 elders who had elective hip or knee surgery. In the experimental group music was played for at least four hours daily. Data was extracted from the patient record after discharge. Evidence of episodes of acute confusion was taken from the nurse and physical therapy notes.
Results: Using an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) data demonstrated that the experimental group who listened to music had fewer documented episodes of confusion than the control group who received standard postoperative care without the music (F = 19.568, p = .001). An ANOVA indicated that the control group had significantly lower scores on the readiness to ambulate physical therapy scale which is based on postoperative mental status and vital signs than did those in the experimental group (F = 28.14, p = .001).
Conclusion: Therefore, music listening has been demonstrated to be an effective intervention to reduce postoperative confusion in elders undergoing hip and knee surgery.
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