| Abstract [eng] |
Title: The Professional Role And Functions Of a Music Therapist In a Multidisciplinary Team At a Neonatal Clinic Background of a study: Music therapy is increasingly being integrated into medical teams; how-ever, in Lithuanian neonatology departments, this intervention is still relatively new, and there is a lack of information about the impact of music therapy and functions of a music therapist within the clinic. As a result, healthcare professionals may hold negative attitudes toward integrating a music therapist into medical team. Therefore, it is important to clearly define the professional role and functions of a music therapist within multidisciplinary teams in neonatology clinics. Aim of the study: To define the role of a music therapist as a member of a multidisciplinary team in neonatal units and explore the possibilities of working with newborns. Research tasks: 1. To investigate the attitudes of staff members (neonatologists, nurses, and other specialists) towards the role and functions of a music therapist. 2. To compare staff attitudes toward music therapy and the music therapist between clinics where this intervention is provided and clinics where it is not. 3. To evaluate the possibilities of applying music therapy and its significance in neonatal units as part of multidisciplinary care. Participants: Medical professionals working in neonatal units in neonatology clinics where music therapy is either implemented or not implemented. Methods: A quantitative study supplemented with qualitative elements was conducted. The re-search instrument was a questionnaire survey. The study was carried out using a cross-sectional design, assessing data within the same period of time. A comparative research design was also chosen to identify differences between specialists‘ attitudes in Clinic A, where music therapy ser-vices are regularly provided, and Clinic B, where music therapy is not included in patient care. Results: Attitudes in Clinic A were more favorable than in Clinic B. An independent samples Stu-dent‘s t-test revealed statistically significant differences in three categories: specialists‘ attitudes toward the impact of music therapy on parents‘ psycho-emotional health and bonding with the newborn (p < 0.001); attitudes toward the impact of music therapy on newborn health (p < 0.05); and attitudes towards the integration of a music therapist into the team (p < 0.001). Conclusions: 1. A favorable attitude toward the application of music therapy prevails in neonatology clinical practice. 2. Medical staff attitudes towards the effects of music therapy on parents and their bond with the newborn, its effects on newborn health, and the integration of a music therapist into a multidisciplinary team are significantly more positive in the clinic where a music therapist is employed. 3. Music therapy in neonatal unit is an additional and multidimensional therapeutic intervention integrated into daily neonatology care, effectively influencing the physiological, emotional, and neurological aspects of newborns. It also contributes to improving parents‘ psycho-emotional well-being and helps the cope with challenges arising in the intensive care environment. 4. The medical team‘s attitude towards the music therapist improves significantly when specialists encounter music therapy in actual clinical practice and when adequate dissemination of information about music therapy as a therapeutic intervention is ensured within the institution. |
