International Journal of Pediatric Nursing

A STUDY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MUSIC ON THE POSTOPERATIVE PAIN IN CHILDREN UNDERGOING MAJOR SURGERIES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL, BANGALORE

Geethu Baby

babygeethus@gmail.com

music; post operative pain; children; major surgeries.

Music releases endorphins thus reduce the perception of pain through the components of the gate control theory of pain. Distracting can be effective in moderating pain primarily through the cognitive component of the gate control theory of pain. Acute pain is experienced immediately after surgery (up to 7 days). It is advisable that music become a part of nursing care offered to patients experiencing pain, because music is a low-cost therapy with no side effects. The objectives of the study were to find the effectiveness of music on postoperative pain in children and to determine the association of postoperative pain with selected baseline variables. The conceptual framework of the study was based on the Melzack and Wall’s Gate control theory 1965.A pre experimental one group pre test post test design was adopted for the study. The area selected for the study was the pediatric surgery and orthopaedic wards of St.John’s Medical College Hospital, Bangalore. Fifty subjects who underwent major surgeries were selected by purposive sampling technique. Demographic variables were collected by structured interview schedule and the pre intervention and post intervention pain score was assessed using Wong Baker Faces Pain Scale. The music was provided for about 20 minutes using headphones and laptop at 50-65 db, given twice with a gap of atleast 4 hours in between. The statistical analysis showed that there was an effectiveness of music on the post operative pain which was significant; p<0.001.The findings showed that there was no significant association between the post operative pain and the baseline variables under the study. It was evident from the present study that music reduced the post operative pain in children and it can be used as an effective inexpensive non pharmacological measure for pain relief.