Tag: noise
Mapping Sources of Noise in an ICU
Excessive noise in hospitals adversely affects patients' sleep and recovery, causes stress and fatigue in staff and hampers communication. The World Health Organization suggests sound levels should be limited to 35 decibels.... read more
Systematic Review of the Effects of ICU Noise on Sleep of Healthy Subjects and the Critically Ill
ICU patients exhibit disturbed sleeping patterns, often attributed to environmental noise, although the relative contribution of noise compared to other potentially disrupting factors is often debated. We therefore systematically... read more
Delirium a Dreaded Scourge Underdiagnosed in Hospitals
Pain medications, infections, medical illnesses, ventilators, dehydration or withdrawing from alcohol can be risk factors for delirium. Hospitals are one of the biggest culprits. They're noisy, busy and not conducive to getting... read more
The Effect of a Quality Improvement Intervention on Perceived Sleep Quality and Cognition in the ICU
An ICU-wide quality improvement intervention to improve sleep and delirium is feasible and associated with significant improvements in perceived nighttime noise, incidence of delirium/coma, and daily delirium/coma-free status.... read more
Effect of Nocturnal Sound Reduction on the Incidence of Delirium in ICU Patients
The incidence of delirium in ICU patients was significantly reduced after implementation of a nocturnal sound-reduction protocol. However, reported sleep quality did not improve. A significant difference in slope in the percentage... read more
A tailored multicomponent program to reduce discomfort in critically ill patients
Critically ill patients are exposed to stressful conditions and experience several discomforts. The primary objective was to assess whether a tailored multicomponent program is effective for reducing self‑perceived discomfort.... read more
Active Noise Control Headphones to Reduce Patient’s Exposure to ICU Noise
The use of active noise cancellation, as delivered by noise-cancelling headphones, is associated with a significant reduction in noise exposure in our model of noise exposure in a cardiac ICU. This is the first study to look... read more
Sound and Light Levels Are Similarly Disruptive in ICU and non-ICU Wards
Quieter, non-ICU wards have as many SLCs as ICUs do, which has implications for quality improvement measurements. Efforts to further reduce average noise levels might be counterproductive. Light levels in the hospital (ICU... read more
How Redesigning The Abrasive Alarms Of Hospital Soundscapes Can Save Lives
After a recent hospital stay filled with frightening, uselessly beeping gadgets, an ambient musician set to work reinventing the aural landscape of medicine, to make life calmer for patients and easier for doctors. ... read more
Quiet please in the intensive care unit
A new study shows that noise levels in the Intensive Care Unit can go well above recommended levels, disturbing both patients and the medical teams that care for them.... read more
