Student Research Symposium Program Portal: Submission #182

Abstract Preoperative anxiety is common among surgical patients and is linked to hemodynamic instability, increased anesthetic needs, and delayed recovery. Although benzodiazepines are traditionally used to treat anxiety, their side effects highlight the importance of safe, non-pharmacologic options. Music therapy has been shown to effectively reduce perioperative anxiety, improve physiological stability, and increase patient satisfaction according to multiple randomized controlled trials. Despite this evidence, its adoption in anesthesia practice remains limited, often due to gaps in provider awareness and education.

This quality improvement project assessed whether an educational intervention could enhance anesthesia providers’ knowledge, perceptions, and willingness to integrate music-supported strategies into perioperative care. Out of 50 invited individuals, 27 responded, and 14 completed both surveys. Pre-intervention results showed varied baseline familiarity with music therapy, although all participants recognized it as a safe, non-pharmacologic modality with measurable physiologic benefits. Post-intervention findings indicated improved knowledge, more positive perceptions of effectiveness, and a greater likelihood of applying music therapy in clinical settings. Participants also expressed strong confidence in its ability to reduce anxiety, improve patient satisfaction, and smoothly integrate into existing workflows.

Overall, the educational intervention successfully reinforced evidence-based benefits, boosted provider confidence, and fostered positive attitudes toward implementing structured music therapy protocols in the perioperative setting. These findings support ongoing educational efforts to encourage wider adoption of non-pharmacologic anxiety-reduction strategies.