Integrating Music Therapy into Post-Surgical Care: A Quality Improvement Strategy for Reducing Post-Operative Anxiety

Authors

• Yosdania Hernandez Benitez, University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonFollow

Author Biographical Info

Yosdania Hernandez was born and raised in Cuba in a humble family where hard work, resilience, and perseverance were the foundation of everyday life. Raised by hardworking parents who, despite not having the opportunity to attend college, firmly believed in the transformative power of education, Yosdania and her sister learned from an early age that becoming professionals was the key to creating better opportunities for themselves and future generations. Their parents' unwavering determination, sacrifices, and emphasis on education shaped the course of their lives. Her older sister fulfilled that dream by becoming a pediatric endocrinologist, inspiring Yosdania to pursue a career dedicated to caring for others.

At the age of 34, Yosdania immigrated to the United States with the determination to build a brighter future for herself and her two daughters. Although she faced the challenges of adapting to a new language, culture, educational and healthcare system, she remained focused on achieving her dream of becoming a healthcare professional. She began her healthcare career as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), where she discovered her passion for patient care. Determined to continue advancing, she earned her Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) credential, followed by an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and is now pursuing her Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP).

Throughout her nursing career, Yosdania has gained extensive experience in perioperative nursing, providing compassionate, evidence-based care while developing strong leadership and clinical decision-making skills. She is passionate about improving patient outcomes through quality improvement, innovation, and evidence-based practice. Her doctoral quality improvement project, which integrated nurse-led music therapy into postoperative care, demonstrated that nonpharmacologic interventions can significantly reduce patient anxiety while enhancing the overall surgical experience.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Yosdania's journey reflects perseverance, determination, and an unwavering commitment to lifelong learning. From starting over in a new country to steadily advancing through every level of nursing education, she has embraced each challenge as an opportunity for growth. Her experiences have strengthened her belief that compassion, education, and hard work can transform lives.

As she completes her Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, Yosdania looks forward to serving patients as a Family Nurse Practitioner while continuing to lead quality improvement initiatives that promote safe, patient-centered, and equitable healthcare. Her long-term vision is to establish her own healthcare clinic, where she can expand access to high-quality care, empower patients through education, and inspire others who, like her, come from humble beginnings yet aspire to achieve extraordinary goals.

Yosdania's story is a testament to the belief that where a person begins does not determine where they can go. Through resilience, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, she has transformed obstacles into opportunities and continues to pursue her mission of making a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

Date of Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Completion

Summer 8-1-2026

Faculty Advisor

Dr. Daisy. G. Mullassery

Abstract

Integrating Music Therapy into Post-Surgical Care: A Quality Improvement Strategy for Reducing Post-Operative Anxiety

Purpose

This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce postoperative anxiety among adult patients after general surgery in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) by 30% using nurse-led music therapy in an ambulatory surgical center.

Results

Mean VAS-A scores decreased from 6.9 (SD = 0.5) pre-intervention to 4.0 (SD = 0.5) post-intervention, representing a 2.9-point (41.9%) reduction in anxiety and exceeding the project's target of 30%. Nurse adherence to the intervention protocol was 100%, and the mean patient satisfaction score was 4.6/5.0. All 100 patients completed both pre- and post-intervention VAS-A assessments, resulting in a complete dataset with no missing data.

Background

Postoperative anxiety can hinder recovery, increase heart rate and blood pressure, and lower patient satisfaction. Minimal non-pharmacological interventions are used in post-surgical care. The target ambulatory surgical center lacked a standardized music therapy protocol.

Implications

Music therapy was a feasible, sustainable addition to standard PACU care using existing resources. Findings were limited by the single-site design, lack of randomization, absence of a control group, and immediate post-intervention assessment.

Methodology

A total of 100 adult general surgery patients participated in this 12-week QI project using a pre- and post-intervention design. Anxiety was assessed before and after a 40–45-minute session of patient-selected instrumental music using the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, patient satisfaction comments, and nurse feedback.

Keywords: Music therapy, postoperative anxiety, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), quality improvement, Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A).

Keywords

Music therapy, postoperative anxiety, post- anesthesia care unit (PACU), quality improvement, Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A).

Recommended Citation

Yosdania Hernandez Benitez, "Integrating Music Therapy into Post-Surgical Care: A Quality Improvement Strategy for Reducing Post-Operative Anxiety" (2026). Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract. 215.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/dnp_abstract/215