The period between eight and ten in the morning is frequently reserved for routine dressings or medical rounds and a period of silence should be observed in the wards during the hours of maximum professional services. Obviously, music should not be broadcast at any time during the day when rounds are held. The operator should be supplied with a schedule of ward rounds and cut out those wards which are concerned.
The duration of rounds will vary from very brief periods on the surgical wards to prolonged ones on the medical wards. Soon after rounds the operator should broadcast to wards on which no regular activity is taking place. A half hour program of request music in the morning between ten and eleven is suggested. This should be followed by the pre-meal period of silence.
Where desired, luncheon music should be followed by restful or very soft music. If the blinds are drawn and silence among patients is maintained maximum benefit will result. Those patients who can fall asleep readily at this time will do so. Those who find it impossible to nap in the afternoon will be grateful for the diversion of music which will permit greater relaxation. It is more difficult for some people to rest in absolute quiet than with soft background music.
Another request program of music lasting one hour may be begun between two and three o’clock. It is advisable to mention specific names of patients who request music to stimulate patient interest in communal participation and listening. During the evening hours following supper, it is suggested that the most popular radio programs be transmitted over the system. These should be chosen on the bases of Hooper or Crossley ratings so that the greatest number of patients will be satisfied. When more than one channel is available, the second program selected should be of a different nature from the first.
Announcements. Announcements should be kept to a minimum. Routine announcements should be made at specified hours daily, such as after breakfast, before lunch, and after supper. Emergency calls should be limited to genuine emergencies or they will not be regarded as compelling, as they should be.
Newscasts are a much appreciated and desirable feature for patients who, until their admission to the hospital, may have read or listened to the news daily and will want to keep up with it. The newscast should be given in an unsensational manner and news which is too depressing or exciting should be deleted or reworded, for psychiatric patients.
Special Programs. There should be a weekly religious program sent out over the system for those in bed. The minister affiliated with the hospital should be able to fit the hospital into his Sunday morning schedule. If no minister is available, a regular radio program should be rebroadcast, but a Sunday service of local origin will be more personal, and therefore will be more appreciated. There are many suitable religious recordings available for incidental service music, particularly the series of albums pressed by Bibletone.
Holidays should be observed by the reproduction of appropriate music or radio rebroadcasts.
For the small hospital with limited personnel a two-channel system continuously tuned to the two most popular networks locally available, should be used.