Improving the Patient Experience During Care in the Orthopedic Cast Room

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic care
• Pain management
• Patient experience

Background:

• Orthopedic procedures like casting and splinting can cause patient anxiety and pain.
• Effective pain and anxiety management are crucial for positive patient outcomes in orthopedic clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of aromatherapy and music on pain and anxiety in patients undergoing orthopedic procedures.
• To compare the effects of music and aromatherapy interventions against a no-exposure control group.

Main Methods:

• Randomized controlled trial involving patients in an orthopedic cast room.
• Interventions included no exposure, music exposure, or aromatherapy exposure.
• Patient-reported outcomes measured using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a visual analog scale for pain.

Main Results:

• Mean pain scores were significantly lower in the music (3.0) and aromatherapy (3.9) groups compared to the no-exposure group (5.1).
• No significant differences in anxiety inventory scores were observed between the groups.
• Lower anxiety scores correlated with lower pain scores for specific emotional states.

Conclusions:

• Music and aromatherapy interventions effectively reduce pain in patients receiving orthopedic care.
• While direct anxiety reduction was not statistically significant, pain management may indirectly influence patient anxiety.
• These findings support the use of non-pharmacological methods to improve patient comfort during orthopedic procedures.