Music: a diversionary therapy.

1. Music is a simple, inexpensive, aesthetically pleasing means of alleviating the anxiety of surgical candidates during the immediate preoperative period. 2. When allowed to participate in decision-making regarding their care, patients can regain a partial sense of control. Preoperatively, this goal can be achieved by permitting them to choose their own music and to experience music's diversionary effect. 3. As patient advocates, nurses should take advantage of the therapeutic effect of music by incorporating it into the perioperative setting.