Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of music on preoperative state anxiety and physiological parameters including heart rate, respiratory rate and mean systolic, and diastolic blood pressure in 60 patients undergoing general surgery. Methods: The study was designed as a randomized quasi-experimental trial. A total of 60 patients were allocated to two equal groups. Subjects in the trial group listened to non-vocal classical music through headphones for 20 minutes before entering the operating theater. State anxiety was measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the physiological parameters by pulse CO-oximeter (Masimo RAD-57C, Finland). The results obtained were finally analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using chi-square and t-tests. Results: There was an insignificant difference in demographic data between the two groups (p > 0.05), but before and after listening to music, a significant difference was observed in state anxiety (p < 0.01). Conclusions: Significant differences in both state anxiety and physiological parameters confirmed that music as a non-pharmacological intervention can be used as a complementary tool in nursing care.

Background: It seems that using Pilates exercises can increase quality of life of patients on hemodialysis. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of Pilates exercises on the quality of life of patients on hemodialysis. Methods: For this randomized controlled clinical trial, we enrolled 60 hemodialysis patients referred to Shahid Beheshti and Akhavan hospitals in Kashan city during 2014 and 2015. The subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). Demographic information and quality of life short form (KDQOL SF) questionnaires were completed by the two groups at the beginning of the study. Then, modified Pilates exercises were carried out by the experimental group three times a week over a period of eight weeks. The KDQOL SF questionnaire was completed by all participants, at the beginning and two