A recent study has inferred that patients are at greater risk when drum & bass is played in the operating theatre. The research carried out by the National Journal of Nurses has reported that the music tends to cause problems with communication and can disrupt concentration.
35 hours worth of video footage from cameras installed in 20 surgeries over the UK were analysed and whilst this was a relatively small study it was seen that in the 16 surgeries where the music was played staff tended to repeat themselves. In some cases “nurses visibly struggled to hear instructions from surgeons”, causing frustration.
The study showed that is was senior surgeons who tended to decide if and what music was played, in which drum & bass and dance music styles were played the loudest. “Our study shows that playing music in the operating theatre can run counter to effective communication and highlights the need to consider both positive and negative effects of music on staff and patients”, lead author Sharon Weldon said.
Pervious research has shown that music being played can have positive effects on the performance of surgeons whilst decreasing stress.
Music is played during 50 to 70 per cent of surgeries performed around the world, with many new theatres equipped with music players. Seems the NHS’s rumoured partnership with Hospital Records could still be on the cards!
Source: The Independent
