The effects of arts-in-medicine programming on the medical-surgical work environment

Abstract

Background: Arts in medicine programs have significant impacts on patients and staff in long-term care environments, but the literature lacks evidence of effectiveness on hospital units with shorter average lengths of stay. Methods: The qualitative study used individual structured interviews to assess the impacts of arts programming on job satisfaction, stress, unit culture, support, quality of care, and patient outcomes on a short-term medical-surgical unit, and used a qualitative cross comparison grounded theory methodology to analyze data. Results: The study confirmed that arts programming can positively affect unit culture, nursing practice, and quality of care on short-stay medical-surgical units. Significant insights related to nursing practice and the art program were found, including that music can cause negative distraction for staff. Conclusions: While positive impacts of arts programming on the medical-surgical environment are clear, potential negative effects also need to be considered in the development of practice protocols for artists.

The Visual Mechanisms of Seeing in Experiencing the Interior

“…The study highlights how the patient's sensory response is triggered or controlled by spatial elements, producing experience in viewing activities. Other studies affirm such argument, demonstrating how spatial elements can shape a patient's experience in space (Sonke et al, 2015;Belfiore, et al, 2015;Lankston, et al, 2010;Nanda et al, 2012;Cusack et al, 2010). Exploring openings that could be changed in size, the experiment requires children and adult respondents to put their hands through the openings.…”

Art, music, story: The evaluation of a person‐centred arts in health programme in an acute care older persons’ unit

“…However, there is evidence that arts in health programmes can improve clinical outcomes for patients such as reducing stress, anxiety, pain and fatigue from medical or surgical interventions, and shortening the length of hospital stay (Putland, ; Staricoff & Clift, ; Stuckey, ). Arts‐based approaches can result in patients experiencing increased sense of control, increased self‐awareness and sense of self, reduced isolation and fear, and overall improved mental, emotional and spiritual well‐being (Baumann, Peck, Collins, & Eades, ; Sonke et al., ).…”

“…Benefits for nurses in settings where arts programmes are in place include increased engagement and well‐being, decreased stress and improved nurse‐patient communication and relations. Nurses can also experience increased satisfaction with care provision when they see the benefits for patients (Sonke et al., ).…”

“…Research focusing on the practice of arts in health is needed that evaluates the benefits for quality of life and well‐being for older patients in hospital, and ways nurses perceive that the care environment is improved (Sonke et al., ). There are few studies concerned with arts in health initiatives with older patients in hospital settings (Moss & O'Neill, ), and such work will enable sharing of experiences and good practices in arts‐based work with older people in health care (Huhtinen‐Hilden, ; Roe, ).…”

Medical Clowning: An Embodiment of Transgressive Play

“…Arts programs in clinical environments have proven beneficial to patient outcomes and staff experiences (Sonke et al, 2015). An interesting correlation elucidated by Sonke and colleagues indicated that the presence of an arts program affected the nursing unit culture, which affected the nursing practice, which affected the quality of care.…”