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IDEAS That Work
CALMING EFFECT
I
t's no secret that surgical
patients are anxious before
surgery and often in pain
afterward. That's why we provide
interested patients with MP3
guided-imagery audiobooks
(healthcare.playaway.com) that
they listen to on the days leading
up to their procedures. The halfhour audio sessions involve a
narrator instructing patients on
relaxation techniques as calming
music or sound effects play in
the background. Patients bring
the audiobooks with them on the
EASY LISTENING Michelle LaValley, RN,
BA, ONC, shows off an audiobook that helps
day of surgery and plug in
put patients at ease.
throughout their stay. (Unlike
smartphones or CD players, the surfaces of the MP3 players can be
wiped down with alcohol for use in the OR.) Patients who opt for the
audiobooks are calmer before surgery, have lower blood pressure and
less post-op pain, and are often ready for discharge sooner. They're
welcome to keep the audiobooks to lower stress levels while recovering at home or during everyday life.
Donna Anderson, RN
Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center
Duluth, Minn.
donna.anderson@essentiahealth.org
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | O C T O B E R 2013
Kim Kaiser
Soothing Sounds Sooth Patients
