TY - JOUR
T1 - Contribution of alarm noise to average sound pressure levels in the ICU
T2 - An observational cross-sectional study
AU - Vreman, Jeanette
AU - van Loon, Lex M.
AU - van den Biggelaar, Wilma
AU - van der Hoeven, Johannes G.
AU - Lemson, Joris
AU - van den Boogaard, Mark
PY - 2020/12
Y1 - 2020/12
N2 - Objectives: To explore sound levels, alarm frequencies and the association between alarms and sound levels.Design: A single center observational cross-sectional study. Setting: Four intensive care units.Main outcome measures: Contribution of alarms: red (life threatening), yellow (indicate excess of limits) and blue (technical) to sound pressure levels dB(A) at nursing stations.Results: Mean sound pressure levels differed significantly between day (56.1 ± 5.5), evening (55.1 ± 5.7) and night periods 53.6 ± 5.6; p < 0.01. 175,996 alarms were recorded of which 149,764 (85%) were yellow, 18,080 (10%) were red and 8,152 (5%) were blue. The mean sound levels without alarms (background) is 56.8 dB(A), with only red: 56.0 dB(A), only yellow: 55.6 dB(A), only blue: 56.0 dB(A) and mixed alarms: 56.3 dB(A). Yellow alarms (b = −0.93; 95% CI: −1.26 to −0.6; p < 0.001) were weakly but significantly associated with mean sound levels and lead to a slight decrease in noise level (1 dB), Red alarms (b = −0.3; 95% CI: −1.237 to 0.63; p = 0.52). The R Square of the model with all alarms was 0.01 (standard error of estimate, 6.9; p < 0.001).Conclusions: Sound levels were high during all day-periods. Alarms exceeding limits occurred most frequently. However, the contribution of alarms to sound levels measured at the nursing station is clinically limited.
AB - Objectives: To explore sound levels, alarm frequencies and the association between alarms and sound levels.Design: A single center observational cross-sectional study. Setting: Four intensive care units.Main outcome measures: Contribution of alarms: red (life threatening), yellow (indicate excess of limits) and blue (technical) to sound pressure levels dB(A) at nursing stations.Results: Mean sound pressure levels differed significantly between day (56.1 ± 5.5), evening (55.1 ± 5.7) and night periods 53.6 ± 5.6; p < 0.01. 175,996 alarms were recorded of which 149,764 (85%) were yellow, 18,080 (10%) were red and 8,152 (5%) were blue. The mean sound levels without alarms (background) is 56.8 dB(A), with only red: 56.0 dB(A), only yellow: 55.6 dB(A), only blue: 56.0 dB(A) and mixed alarms: 56.3 dB(A). Yellow alarms (b = −0.93; 95% CI: −1.26 to −0.6; p < 0.001) were weakly but significantly associated with mean sound levels and lead to a slight decrease in noise level (1 dB), Red alarms (b = −0.3; 95% CI: −1.237 to 0.63; p = 0.52). The R Square of the model with all alarms was 0.01 (standard error of estimate, 6.9; p < 0.001).Conclusions: Sound levels were high during all day-periods. Alarms exceeding limits occurred most frequently. However, the contribution of alarms to sound levels measured at the nursing station is clinically limited.
KW - Acoustics
KW - Alarms
KW - Critical care
KW - Noise
KW - Patient safety
KW - Sound
KW - UT-Hybrid-D
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087785745&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.iccn.2020.102901
DO - 10.1016/j.iccn.2020.102901
M3 - Article
C2 - 32660883
AN - SCOPUS:85087785745
SN - 0964-3397
VL - 61
JO - Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
JF - Intensive and Critical Care Nursing
M1 - 102901
ER -