The Sound of Comfort: Neonatal Health Care Professionals' Perspectives on Music and Other Comfort Measures during Targeted Neonatal Echocardiography

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to assess health care professionals' perspectives on how implemented measures impact patient comfort during targeted neonatal echocardiography (TNE).

Study Design

Survey distributed to neonatal health care professionals at the Montreal Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Responses were collected for 4 weeks, anonymized, and analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results

Of 110 respondents, most believed that scans in general disturbed infants (71%) by increasing the risk of hypothermia (75%), and lability (67%). Key comfort measures identified were warm gel (85%), bundling (80%), and a focused exam (<30 minutes; 80%). Neoclassical music recordings were valued for their calming effect on the infant (73%), parent (44%), and sonographer (39%). Respondents preferred recorded music over other forms of music delivery (53%).

Conclusion

Health care workers generally agree that scans disturb newborns and that implementing comfort measures, such as music and the cost-efficient bundle used in our NICU, may enhance patient comfort. Further objective studies are needed to validate these findings and assess their impact on neonatal care outcomes

Key Points

• NICU staff surveyed on TNE comfort measures.

• Music may calm babies, parents, and workers.

• Warm gel, bundling, and focused exam highly valued.

• Care bundle is cheap and easily implementable.

Keywords

targeted neonatal echocardiography - ultrasound - neonatology

Ethical Approval

The Institutional Review Board of MUHC (McGill University Health Centre) approved this study.

Authors' Contributions

J.H.M. conceptualized and designed the study, collected the data, extracted the data, analyzed the data, drafted the manuscript, and adjusted the manuscript according to the comments of the co-authors. D.V.M., S.M., E.R., and T.C.-G. collected the data, critically appraised the analysis, and revised the manuscript. G.A. conceptualized and designed the study, supervised data collection, critically appraised the data analysis, and wrote and critically reviewed the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 09. Dezember 2024

Angenommen: 18. März 2025

Accepted Manuscript online:
20. März 2025

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
12. April 2025

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