Noise Levels in Intensive Care Units and Patient's Perception

Kim, Min Young; Park, Ui-Jun

Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing 2015;8(1):41-49.
Published online June 30, 2015.

중환자실 소음도와 소음에 대한 환자의 인지

김민영, 박의준

¹울산대학교 간호학과
²계명대학교 의과대학.동산의료원

Noise Levels in Intensive Care Units and Patient's Perception

Min Young Kim, Ui-Jun Park

¹Department of Nursing, Ulsan University
²College of Medicine, Keimyung University, Dongsan Medical Center

Abstract

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to measure the noise levels in intensive care units (ICUs) and to analyze the causes of the noise and patient perceptions of the noise.
Methods
Noise levels were recorded in adult ICUs for 24 h over a week from the patients' bedside with a sound level meter. Noise sources were categorized into three groups: medical equipment, health care providers, and the environment. Noises from the environment were recorded in an empty ICUs side room. Perceptions of the noise of 125 patients admitted to the ICUs were recorded using a questionnaire.
Results
The mean level of noise in the ICUs was 58.5 dBA (range: 34.2-80.2 dBA). The causes of noise higher than 70 dBA were nebulizers and infusion/syringe pumps among medical equipment, and drawer slamming, phone ringing, and stripping packages of medical fluids among environmental noises. According to the questionnaire, 64.0% of the patients responded that the ICUs were noisy and that they suffered from sleep disturbance because of the noise.
Conclusion
Noise is considerably high in ICUs and is an annoying factor for the patients. Most noise sources are adjustable, and we should try to reduce noise whenever possible to make the ICUs environment more pleasant.

Key Words: Noise level, Intensive care units