Music Therapy and Pain Management in Patients with End-Stage Liver Disease: An Evidence-Based Practice Quality Improvement Project

Background: Pain can negatively affect the inpatient hospitalization experience; however, in patients with compromised metabolic pathways who are more vulnerable to medication side effects, pain control becomes even more challenging. Aims: This evidence-based practice quality improvement project explored the feasibility of implementing a music therapy intervention for improved pain management (pain intensity, analgesic volume) and patient satisfaction among patients with a diagnosis of cirrhotic end-stage liver disease in the acute care setting. Design: The plan–do–check–act cycle served as the implementation framework. Four nurse champions were trained to implement a 30-minute music intervention. Self-selected musical selections were delivered via unit-based iPads with earbud headphones during 3 consecutive days. Methods: Data collection was performed using unit-based measures for pain and patient satisfaction and an investigator-developed audit tool. Bivariate analyses and descriptive statistics were used to assess the effect of the intervention on the three outcomes of interest. Results: Overall results from data collected with eight participants during a 6-week period indicated a 10% reduction in pain intensity and a 30% improvement in patient satisfaction with pain management care. Conclusions: Findings from this evidence-based practice quality improvement project provide support for the effectiveness of music therapy as an adjunct to traditional pharmacologic modalities for pain management of the end-stage liver disease patient population.