THE EFFECT OF PROGRESSIVE MUSCULAR RELAXATION ON SUBJECTIVELY REPORTED DISTURBANCE DUE TO HOSPITAL NOISE.
Contributors: New York University.
Published: 1988
Number of pages: 94
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: In what was certainly visionary thinking for her era, Florence Nightingale identified unnecessary hospital noise as disturbing to the patient. Hospital noise, from staff and machinery, has been implicated in the etiologies of many behavioral disorders such as sleep deprivation, sensory overload, and altered comfort levels. The purpose of this study was to test the effects of progressive muscular relaxation (PMR) on subjectively reported disturbance due to hospital noise. Additionally, noise sensitivity as a personality attribute was correlated with disturbance due to hospital noise and efficacy of PMR.

The sample consisted of 100 hospitalized acutely ill patients who agreed to participate in the study. Subjects were limited to those hospitalized in a 12 bed coronary care unit (CCU) or a 30 bed telemetry unit. After having spent at least one night in the assigned area, subjects completed a demographic data sheet; the Weinstein Noise Sensitivity scale, and the Topf Disturbance due to Hospital Noise scale. PMR was taught to the randomly selected experimental group by the researcher in one hour session, and subjects were then instructed to practice the technique at least twice daily for 24 hours. The Topf tool was readministered to the experimental group after the practice period, and on the third visit to the control group.

Results revealed a significant difference in pre- and post-PMR disturbance due to hospital noise scores in the experimental group. A significant difference was found in disturbance due to hospital noise between units: the patients in the CCU reported significantly more disturbance than those on the telemetry units. No relationship was found between noise sensitivity and disturbance due to hospital noise. Noise sensitivity was not found to be indicative of greater benefits from PMR when used to decrease disturbance due to hospital noise.

The findings suggest that PMR is an effective nursing intervention for decreasing disturbance due to hospital noise. As hospital noise has been documented as a stressor for patients, this finding has important clinical implications for care of the acutely ill. It is noteworthy that PMR can be taught in a brief time period, which increases its relevance and applicability to clinical situations. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-10, Section: B, page: 4230.

Thesis (PH.D.)--NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, 1988.

School code: 0146.