The intensive care unit (ICU) is a technologically-driven environment where critically ill patients and their families have significant physical and emotional experiences. Mechanically ventilated (MV) patients can experience significant distress from anxiety and pain. Music listening is one integrative intervention that has been shown to reduce anxiety as well as other symptoms that contribute to distress in MV patients. This is a report of MV patient and family experiences from a larger research study whose aim was to evaluate levels of anxiety and sedative exposure with use of a patient-directed music intervention. Understanding perceptions of MV patients and families regarding the effectiveness of music listening will guide improvement of their care.
Keywords: anxiety; critical care; mechanical ventilation; music intervention; pain.