American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
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Implementing music in the intensive care unit has increased in popularity because the environment can be stressful and anxiety inducing for many patients. In hospital settings, therapeutic music can be beneficial for patients' well-being and recovery. Although live music typically involves a face-to-face encounter between the musician and patient, the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a change to virtual live therapeutic music, using technology to present music in real time (eg, with a tablet computer). ⋯ Therapeutic virtual music was well received and provided tangible benefits to patients. Additional research would provide information on patients' outcomes and differences between live and virtual live music.
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Parents of newborns with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. Few studies have examined whether modifiable factors that influence parents' mental health after discharge are present during postoperative care in the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU). ⋯ Parental role alteration perceived by parents during the PCICU stay is a modifiable stressor contributing to adverse mental health symptoms 3 months after discharge. Interventions targeting parental role alteration in the PCICU are critically needed.
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Use of the 3 Wishes Project to Help Individualize End-of-Life Care in a Medical Intensive Care Unit.
Multiple organizations recommend that individualized end-of-life (EOL) care should be standard practice. However, a standardized approach does not exist because EOL care should be individually tailored. The 3 Wishes Project is an EOL intervention that provides direction for individualized care with 3 goals: dignify death, celebrate the patient's life, and support family members and the intensive care unit clinicians caring for the patient. Patients and families are given the opportunity to choose 3 wishes during the dying process. ⋯ The survey data support the 3 Wishes Project as a method that allowed the medical team to individualize EOL care and as a valuable tool for incorporation at the bedside.