United Kingdom researchers at the Department of Surgery and Cancer at Imperial College London looked into how music playing in operating rooms impacts patient safety, according to a BBC article. The Journal of Advanced Nursing published the study.
Twenty operations were observed at two United Kingdom hospitals. Cameras recorded verbal and non-verbal communications. The senior doctors often chose the music, as opposed to the nurses.
Here are five findings:
1. Sixteen of the 20 operations had music playing. Researchers found that dance music, drum and bass were played loudly.
2. Researchers found that staff members experienced hard hearing when music played in the operating room, resulting in many repeated comments.
3. During one surgery, a scrub nurse asked the surgeon to turn down the music. Recording of other surgeries revealed nurses experiencing difficulties in hearing surgeons' orders.
4. The Royal College of Surgeons requires that if music is played it cannot be distracting.
5. Researchers noted that surgeons often play music to concentrate. They suggested that the terms be adjusted, where the rest of the staff weighs in on type of music, loudness and whether it is played at all.
