Should nurses be able to listen to music at work?

[RockinNurse2018]

On numerous occasions, I've observed nurses playing music from their computers. Some of them are managers, which doesn't necessarily concern me since they aren't directly caring for patients. However, the other night, I noticed an ICU nurse playing music. The patient they were monitoring was obviously severely ill...on ECMO, CRRT, ventilator, many drips, tube feedings, etc. This did not seem safe to me, as music can be a distraction and with very critical patients, you need to be on top of all things at all times. What are your thoughts?

[Davey Do]

John Denver

or Slim Whitman.

[OyWithThePoodles, RN]

Perk of school nursing. I'm the only nurse, so no one else to please. And I play KLOVE in my office all day.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

WHAT?!?!?! No Stockhausen? No Crumb?!?! Oh lordy, you should have heard me laughing (out loud) when I read that....

I guess that includes Flipper, Joy Division , and Schoenberg in that ban :-)

They are definitely in the ban. As is Babbitt.

[NurseCard, ADN]

or Slim Whitman.

[NurseCard, ADN]

[sevensonnets]

Bikegirl and Here.I.Stand, I guess we're talking about the same Flipper. My son played with them sometime in the mid 2000's when Krist Novoselic was around. Bruce Loose is my grandson's godfather.

[StrwbryblndRN]

At work I sometimes have Pandora playing on my phone. We were extremely slow.

I could hear everything around me and the music was playing softly. I walked five feet away from my computer and could not hear the music.

I could still hear a patient"s tv clearly and any coughing, flatulence, etc. I even asked my coworker if he could hear it and he said no.

Everything within reason is my philosophy. Take your surroundings and others into consideration and do what is in the best interest of everyone.

Side note: When I worked Christmas, my dying patient was singing Christmas carols. When I bathed him we sang Christmas carols together while playing Christmas music.

[OlivetheRN, ADN, BSN, RN]

I work in the OR now. Music is part of every day. There's very few surgeons who forbid music in their rooms...

Agreed. I used to work OR and the music variations where interesting. Probably my favorite was the vascular surgeon listens to things like Drowning Pool while doing amputations. It was perfect timing when "Let the Bodies Hit the Floor" was BLARING as he was handing off some guy's leg that he had just cut off.

[shortlilgirl02]

It drives me insane when someone either plays music, or sings/hums when I'm working. Of course, I work in an ICU and need to be attentive at all times. The humming irritates me badly! When someone is humming while presumably working, I think they must not have a thought in their head! Drives me crazy.

To me, this attitude ranks up there with, "Well, if one has a certain hair color, they must not have a thought in their head!" I hum subconsciously a lot of the time, and I don't have any issues with keeping up with my patient care or assignments. For some people it helps with focus.

[Guest805836]

I worked nights for 8 years and we often played music at a low volume in the nurses station (we agreed on music selection). I now work in the OR and music is often played. It doesn't impede my concentration. In a critical situation we usually turn it all the way down, but otherwise it often helps concentration and soothes. Recently I was in a neuro OR and there was a particularly hot tempered surgeon who got into shouting matches with himself everyday (yes. he would yell at himself for his incompetence when the surgery was a bit complicated... don't ask). We had a patient quite anxious before surgery and they requested jazz music for the anesthetic induction. After the induction, the surgeon asked we keep the music on and it had a soothing effect. No shouting that day. Maybe coincidence (can't remember if the surgery was tricky that day).

[Davey Do]

I hum subconsciously a lot of the time, and I don't have any issues with keeping up with my patient care or assignments. For some people it helps with focus.

Now that you mention it, shortlilgirl, I will also subconsciously hum and a nearby patient or coworker will sing the tune I'm humming!

Usually the tunes are "If I only had a Brain" or "Yellow Submarine".

Once I was humming while passing meds from the med room, and a patient started singing Yellow Submarine. I called out to the other patients waiting in line, "All together now!" Another patient responded, "All together now!" and I led a choir of patients singing the chorus of Yellow Submarine!

A Beatles' Psych Unit Musical!

[MissourigalRN]

YES YES YES! Music is so stimulating to our minds. I truly think that if you are listening to music you genuinely enjoy it will help you to be a better thinker and stimulate you. If its the hard stuff maybe put in an ear bud instead of letting the whole unit know your a closet metal head. Peoples are so judgmental theses days you know? Music=Yes