Work

Effectiveness of a noise reduction intervention in the intensive care unit: A prospective bicenter study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND Excessive noise in healthcare environments—commonly described as "unwanted sound"—has been linked to a range of negative impacts on both patients and staff. In clinical settings, elevated noise levels have been associated with sleep disruption, heightened cardiovascular stress, and an increased risk of delirium in patients. Among healthcare workers, noise can impair focus and cognitive performance, potentially compromising care quality. AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of educational and behavioural interventions in reducing noise levels within intensive care units (ICUs), recognizing their potential impact on patient outcomes and healthcare effectiveness. METHODS A prospective interventional study in two Singaporean teaching hospitals compared peak and average sound levels between control and intervention groups. An educational and behavioural intervention comprising talks, posters, and self-audits by nurse champions was initiated in two ICUs in one hospital on 18 November 2023. Sound measurements were collected at 4 Locations within each ICU before and after intervention. Baseline measurements were taken from 22 to 29 October 2023, and post-intervention measurements from 21-22 December 2023. The hospitals served as the primary exposure variable, controlled for ICU type (medical vs surgical) and hour of the day. RESULTS Our analysis generated 48 pairs of peak and average sound level readings for each unit (control n = 48 readings; intervention n = 48 readings). The effect of the intervention was associated with a significant 4.8 dB decrease in average sound level (P = 0.009) and a nonsignificant 4.3 dB decrease in peak sound level (P = 0.104), adjusted for hour of day and type of ICU. CONCLUSION Educational and behavioural interventions successfully reduced average sound levels, emphasizing their positive impact on noise control. These findings contribute valuable insights for optimizing noise reduction efforts in critical care settings. Future studies may explore additional systemic and environmental interventions to enhance noise management strategies.

Source: World Journal of Critical Care Medicine

DOI: 10.5492/wjccm.v14.i4.106359

Authors: Bernard Ong, Kay Choong See, Sunny Sunwoo Kim, Yie Hui Lau

Institutions: Singapore General Hospital, National University of Singapore, National University Hospital, National University Health System, Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Language: English

Topic: Noise Effects and Management

Subfield: Speech and Hearing

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funders: World Health Organization, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt