Dr. Herschel Knapp
Dr. Herschel Knapp has joined the faculty of the as a clinical associate professor. His clinical experience has primarily focused on providing clinical social services to hospitalized patients. His research is largely medically based, including implementations that successfully increase HIV diagnostic testing in hospitals, clinics and homeless settings; innovative telehealth consultations' and improving nursing care via evidence-based practice. His teaching specialties include research methodology, statistics, clinical communication skills and differential diagnosis.
Prior to joining Wurzweiler, he was led a Nursing Research Mentorship Program, providing scientific research and statistical education to nurses; further, he oversaw their projects from inception to publication.
He is also the coauthor on a recent publication carried out by one of these nurses titled 鈥Music to reduce stress in hospitalized patients鈥 in Nursing2021 (Volume 51, Number 8). 鈥淗ospitalized patients experience considerable stress and anxiety due to the unfamiliar settings, discomfort, less than optimal sleep, and uncertainty regarding their health outcome,鈥 he explained. 鈥淐onsidering that medications designed to provide sedation or lower anxiety can have adverse effects, I was pleased to consult on a study to determine the effects of music on ICU patients, some of the most vulnerable patients in any hospital. This study provided 30 minutes of music to 50 ICU patients on an individual basis. Data from vital signs, pain, anxiety, and agitation rating scales, and verbal feedback revealed a statistically significant reduction in pain and anxiety.鈥
As Dr. Knapp pointed out, the lessons learned from the study can be applied to other situations. 鈥淭he stresses of adapting to the ongoing pandemic, remaining vigilant to protect our health and the lives of others, and doing what we can to conduct our lives as thoroughly as possible in these uncertain times in light of our constricted social systems can leave us feeling uncertain about our futures and can manifest as anxiety,鈥 he noted. 鈥淐onsidering the beneficence that even brief exposure to music provided to anxious ICU patients, one must consider the potential of regularly and deliberately taking the time to take a break and listen to some appealing music to help reduce anxiety for ourselves, and those we care for.鈥
Dr. Herschel Knapp
