Music Therapy for the Heart

1. Chelsea Danek, Molly Petersen, Kerry Stinebaugh, and Sarah Vacha UNMC College of Graduate Studies, NRSG 809: Health Promotion for Populations Music Therapy for the Heart The Musical Notes Treatment Program (MNTP) was created to implement a music therapy approach for stress management to reduce blood pressure in hypertensive and pre-hypertensive employees. Music therapy sessions are available at work 5 days a week and employees receive wellness points if they attend 2 sessions per week. They are asked to participate in 3 additional sessions at home each week. CD’s are provided with appropriate relaxation music and employees have access to online sites with the music as well. E-mail and text message reminders are sent 3 times a week to participating employees. Blood pressure is checked before and after each therapy session on-site. CD, MP, KS, SV • Nursing Accountabilities • Informing pre-hypertensive and hypertensive patients about the music therapy approach in the MNTP. • Flagging a patient's chart if they are eligible for the music therapy program. • Writing a referral order for patients who wish to be involved with the music therapy program. • Clarifying and providing further information to patients interested in the music therapy program. • Document the patient's desire to be part of the music therapy program. • Ensuring that all necessary paperwork is completed prior to each patient starting the music therapy program (Physician referral, consent, etc.). • Monitor blood pressure before and after each session. • Create a tranquil atmosphere for music therapy sessions. • Provide music to all participants to listen to during each session and for home use. • CD, MP, KS, SV • Purposes • To clarify the role of multiple disciplines in referring patients to a music therapy program for prevention and treatment of hypertension. • To aid employees with implementation and adherence to music therapy for hypertension. • To promote employees participation in wellness behaviors. • To adhere to evidence-based practice guidelines for music therapy and hypertension. • To improve the health and well-being of our employees. • CD, MP, KS, SV Social Marketing Model Product: Group and Individual Participation in Music Therapy for a total of 5x per week. Price: Time and effort to participate in the program; discomfort and emotional investment in adopting a new behavior, cost of text messages, CD’s and equipment (if not previously owned). Place:ex Employee Health Office/Clinic; designated treatment room at facility; employees home environment. Promotion: Nurses screening and informing employees about the program, marketing strategies (ex: e-mails, text messages, and posters to encourage participation). This model was chosen due to our use of marketing strategies to plan, implement, and evaluate our program that is aimed at changing behaviors to promote health. CD, MP, KS, SV • Secretary Accountabilities • Send out text messages and/or e-mail to participants 3x/week with motivating messages and reminders to participate in the program. • Create posters for staff notification of program session times, place, etc. • Coordination of group session meeting times and locations. • CD, MP, KS, SV • Supportive Data • Non-pharmacological treatment methods for hypertension in conjunction with pharmacological methods can have increased benefits and often fewer side effects than medical management alone (Tang et al., 2009; Teng et al., 2007; Zanini et al., 2009). • According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 90% of middle age adults will develop hypertension in their lifetime (Tang et al., 2009) . • Stress management is part of lifestyle modification that has been found effective in blood pressure reduction (Tang et al., 2009; Teng et al., 2007, Zanini et al., 2009). • Research supporting the use of music therapy to aid in stress management and control of hypertension could help prevent further disease processes from occurring while decreasing morbidity and mortality (Tang et al., 2009; Zanini et al., 2009). • Research has found that a multidisciplinary approach is more effective with music therapy and MNTP supports the use of a multidisciplinary team for the treatment of hypertension management, increase quality of life, and decrease blood pressure in hypertensive patients (Zanini et al., 2009). • CD, MP, KS, SV Information Technology Accountabilities • Develop a link on employee website for music utilized in the program. • Develop a program for the secretary to send out mass emails and texts to employees involved in the program. • CD, MP, KS, SV • Employee Responsibilities • Employee will sign an agreement to attend 2 meetings a week in return for wellness points. • Employee will sign an agreement to participate in therapy at home 3 times per week. • Will continue to follow physician recommendations for the treatment of their hypertension (medications, exercise, and diet). • Will check out CD and other equipment if needed and sign an agreement to return the equipment when they are done with the program. • CD, MP, KS, SV Cultural Competence/Health Disparity • Employees have different levels of knowledge regarding hypertension and/or music therapy. • Employees may be resistant to non-pharmacological approaches to treatment of hypertension. • Employees may/may not have text messaging capabilities. • CD, MP, KS, SV