Perspectives on music therapy in adult cancer care: a hermeneutic study.
OBJECTIVE
To explore perspectives on music therapy as a nursing intervention in adult cancer care and to expand and integrate knowledge and understanding about music therapy as an adjunctive intervention in adult cancer nursing care.


METHODS
Published nursing articles.


RESULTS
Medical and nursing journals have reported on research related to music and its effect as a nursing intervention. However, this research often lacks a musical context (i.e., knowledge and understanding from a musical perspective).


CONCLUSIONS
Music therapy is not a consistent concept. Perspectives on the meanings of music therapy vary according to knowledge and scientific orientation. The perspective may influence the character and methodology of the music therapy intervention as well as the understanding of its results.


CONCLUSIONS
To fully develop music therapy as an adjunct intervention in adult cancer care, interdisciplinary cooperation between nurses and music therapists should be supported on clinical and educational levels.
Olofsson
Anne
A
Department of Oncology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. anne.olofsson@karolinska.se
Fossum
Bjöörn
B
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D009147:Music Therapy; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000628:therapy*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000379:methods*