Impact of an Active Music Therapy Intervention on Intensive Care Patients. Author: Golino AJ1, Leone R2, Gollenberg A2, Christopher C2, Stanger D2, Davis TM2, Meadows A2, Zhang Z2, Friesen MA2 Affiliation: <sup>1</sup>Amanda J. Golino is a clinical nurse specialist, Catherine Christopher is director of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and Debra Stanger is the Magnet program director, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, Virginia. Raymond Leone is director of medical music therapy, A Place to Be, Middleburg, Virginia. Audra Gollenberg is an associate professor of public health and Anthony Meadows is an associate professor of music therapy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia. Theresa M. Davis is clinical operations director of enVision eICU, INOVA Telemedicine, and Mary Ann Friesen is nursing research and evidence-based practice coordinator, Inova Health System, Falls Church, Virginia. Zhiwei Zhang is an associate professor and director of the Statistical Collaboratory, University of California, Riverside, California. amanda.golino@inova.org. <sup>2</sup>Amanda J. Golino is a clinical nurse specialist, Catherine Christopher is director of physical medicine and rehabilitation, and Debra Stanger is the Magnet program director, Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg, Virginia. Raymond Leone is director of medical music therapy, A Place to Be, Middleburg, Virginia. Audra Gollenberg is an associate professor of public health and Anthony Meadows is an associate professor of music therapy, Shenandoah University, Winchester, Virginia. Theresa M. Davis is clinical operations director of enVision eICU, INOVA Telemedicine, and Mary Ann Friesen is nursing research and evidence-based practice coordinator, Inova Health System, Falls Church, Virginia. Zhiwei Zhang is an associate professor and director of the Statistical Collaboratory, University of California, Riverside, California. Conference/Journal: Am J Crit Care. Date published: 2019 Jan Other: Volume ID: 28 , Issue ID: 1 , Pages: 48-55 , Special Notes: doi: 10.4037/ajcc2019792. , Word Count: 228 BACKGROUND: Nonpharmacological interventions appear to benefit many patients and do not have the side effects commonly associated with medications. Music-based experiences may benefit critical care patients. OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of an active music therapy intervention on physiological parameters and self-reported pain and anxiety levels of patients in the intensive care unit. METHODS: A study was conducted using a pretest-posttest, within-subject, single-group design. The study population consisted of a convenience sample of 52 patients. Study participants received a 30-minute music therapy session consisting of either a relaxation intervention or a "song choice" intervention. The music therapist recorded the patients' vital signs before and after the intervention, and patients completed self-assessments of their pain and anxiety levels before and after the intervention. RESULTS: After the intervention, significant decreases (all P < .001) were found in respiratory rate (mean difference, 3.7 [95% CI, 2.6-4.7] breaths per minute), heart rate (5.9 [4.0-7.8] beats per minute), and self-reported pain (1.2 [0.8-1.6] points) and anxiety levels (2.7 [2.2-3.3] points). No significant change in oxygen saturation level was observed. Outcomes differed between the 2 intervention groups: patients receiving the relaxation intervention often fell asleep. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study support active music therapy as a nonpharmacological intervention in intensive care units. This study may lay the groundwork for future research on music therapy in critical care units using larger, more diverse samples. ©2019 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. PMID: 30600227 DOI: 10.4037/ajcc2019792