Music: an intervention for pain during chest tube removal after open heart surgery

Pain associated with chest tube removal is a major problem for patients who undergo open heart surgery. Because this pain is short-lived, timing the administration of pharmacological agents for pain relief is difficult and is therefore done inconsistently.

To examine the effect of music as an intervention for pain relief during chest tube removal after open heart surgery.

In an experimental design, 156 subjects (mean age, 66 years; 69% men) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups: control, white noise, or music. All subjects preselected the type of music they preferred hearing. Ten minutes before the chest tube was removed, the patient's heart rate and blood pressure were measured, the patient rated pain intensity by using a numeric rating scale, and the prerecorded audiotape of music was begun. The patients rated their pain again immediately after chest tube removal and 15 minutes later. Physiological variables were assessed every 5 minutes until 15 minutes after the chest tubes were removed.

Self-reported pain intensity, physiological responses, and narcotic intake after chest tube removal did not differ significantly among the 3 groups.

Although the findings were not statistically significant, most subjects enjoyed listening to the music, and therefore the use of music as an adjuvant to other therapies may be an appropriate nursing intervention.