MHTP Training Module #1

On March 10, with digital keyboard in tow, I arrived at the UMKC Nursing School Annex at the crack 'o dawn to meet up with my fellow students: a singer w/guitar, a violinist, a Native American flutist, and three harpists. This module is geared primarily toward repertoire development and also covers injury prevention for the CMP.

Much of our day was spent in the classroom learning about MHTP's four categories of music which are used for different types of patients and their unique needs:

• All Styles (for the chronically and temporarily ill)
  
• Normal Heartbeat Rhythm (for the critically ill or highly anxious)
  
• Arrhythmic (for the actively dying)
  
• Familiar (for children and the elderly who are not actively dying or critically ill)
  

One of the most valuable parts of the training was listening to our teacher describe several of her experiences as a CMP and how she used the different music styles to most effectively play for different patients. She introduced us to the process of assessing patients, their individual needs at given moments, and how those needs may change during the course of a music session.

Awareness, awareness. It's all about awareness of the patient. No wonder we have to constantly work to get past ourselves as the musicians (hence, the reading list).

Then there was the time we spent participating in group music exercises with our instruments/voices.

What is it about having to play and sing in front of other musicians? I would rather have a dental procedure done! It's one of the hardest things I did over the weekend. Everyone seemed to suffer from those jitters, but as the day went on, we all mellowed out. Not only did we experience each person's specific talents during those exercises, but the constructive criticism that was offered for each of us by fellow musicians was invaluable.

Day One -- 10 hours. Whew.

On Day Two (7 hours), we finished up the repertoire classwork in the morning and participated in more group exercises on our instruments. The afternoon was spent dealing with injury prevention as musicians. There is so much more to that than I realized.

All in all, the weekend played out pretty much as I expected. However, what I actually learned exceeded my expectations. What I did NOT expect was that I would make friends. In approaching group settings I tend to live out the lyrics of that great Simon & Garfunkel tune, "... I am a rock, I am an island."

Well, that didn't last long ...

The seven of us are so diverse and come from such different places in life. But when you are pulled together to achieve a common goal, it's amazing how easy it is to be united in that effort in spite of your personal differences.

I'm really looking foward to the next module in May.