title: Effects of Natural Sounds on Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial with Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation Support.
abstract: Nonpharmacologic pain management in patients receiving mechanical ventilation support in critical care units is under investigated. Natural sounds may help reduce the potentially harmful effects of anxiety and pain in hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of pleasant, natural sounds on self-reported pain in patients receiving mechanical ventilation support, using a pragmatic parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial. The study was conducted in a general adult intensive care unit of a high-turnover teaching hospital, in Tehran, Iran. Between October 2011 and June 2012, we recruited 60 patients receiving mechanical ventilation support to the intervention (n = 30) and control arms (n = 30) of a pragmatic parallel-group, randomized controlled trial. Participants in both arms wore headphones for 90 minutes. Those in the intervention arm heard pleasant, natural sounds, whereas those in the control arm heard nothing. Outcome measures included the self-reported visual analog scale for pain at baseline; 30, 60, and 90 minutes into the intervention; and 30 minutes post-intervention. All patients approached agreed to participate. The trial arms were similar at baseline. Pain scores in the intervention arm fell and were significantly lower than in the control arm at each time point (p < .05). Administration of pleasant, natural sounds via headphones is a simple, safe, nonpharmacologic nursing intervention that may be used to allay pain for up to 120 minutes in patients receiving mechanical ventilation support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Critical Care Unit, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Jahrom, Iran.
authors.forename: Vahid
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Saadatmand
authors.affiliation: Elderly Care Research Center, Shahed University, College of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: reje@shahed.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rejeh
authors.affiliation: Elderly Care Research Center, Shahed University, College of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majideh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heravi-Karimooi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Nursing, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sayed Davood
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Tadrisi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Professional Studies, University of Nordland, Bodø, Norway.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaismoradi
authors.affiliation: College of Human and Health Sciences, Swansea University, Singleton Park, Swansea, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000451:nursing*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013016:Sound