Evaluating the Impact of an Inpatient Therapeutic Bedside Music Program on the Care Experience

An inpatient stay at the hospital is often a stressful and scary time for patients and their loved ones accompanying them. Including art, particularly therapeutic music, may be a non-pharmacological way to improve the inpatient stay. This project evaluated the impact of an inpatient, musician-facilitated Therapeutic Bedside Music Program on the patient and caregiver experience via a post-survey of 176 therapeutic bedside music recipients. Recipients of therapeutic bedside music reported satisfying experiences and a desire for more music (31.75%). Specifically, they appreciated the musician facilitator (50%), experienced a calming and relaxing effect (44.90%), experienced joy (37.16%), and benefit during a stressful time (24.32%), and even perceived a positive impact on their physical healing (12.16%). Results of this project demonstrate a positive impact of facilitated therapeutic bedside music on care experience and demonstrate a need for research on the clinical impact of the program.