Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Changing Levels of Quiet in an Intensive Care Nursery

Journal of Perinatology volume 22, pages 455–460 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To document low sound levels, the range and pattern of levels, and the relative effects of operational (staff and equipment generated) and facility (building generated) noise on the acoustic environment of a level III nursery.

STUDY DESIGN: A quasi-experimental, prospective, longitudinal study of one bed space. Operational noise was reduced through staff behavior change while facility noise was reduced through renovation.

RESULTS: Initial noise levels were typical of those in the literature and in recently measured nurseries. About 80% of sound levels were between 62 and 70 dBA. The lowest levels (Lmin) were 60 to 65 dBA. After staff behavior change, Lmin was about 56 dBA although the highest levels (Lmax) remained at 78 to 100 dBA. Levels following renovation were reduced to Lmins of 47 to 51 dBA and Lmaxs of 68 to 84 dBA, perceived as three or four times quieter than initially.

CONCLUSIONS: Staff behavior as well as the acoustical characteristics of the facility determine the levels of noise and quiet in an intensive care nursery.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Philbin MK . The influence of auditory experience on the behavior of preterm newborns J Perinatol 2000 20: S68–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ando Y, Hattori H . Effects of noise on sleep of babies J Acoust Soc Am 1977 62: 199–204

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Gädeke R, Döring B, Keller F, Vogel Å . The noise level in a children's hospital and the wake-up threshold in infants Acta Paediatr Scand 1969 58: 164–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Murray B, Campbell D . Sleep states in the newborn: influence of sound Neuropaediatrie 1971 2: 335–42

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Strauch C, Brandt S, Edwards-Beckett J . Implementation of a quiet hour: effect on noise levels and infant sleep states Neonatal Network 1993 12: 31–5

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Keefe MR . Comparison of neonatal nighttime sleep–wake patterns in nursery versus rooming-in environments Nurs Res 1987 36: 140–4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Morris BH, Philbin MK, Bose C . Physiological effects of sound on the newborn J Perinatol 2000 20: S55–60

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Philbin MK, Taber KH, Hayman LA . Preliminary report: changes in vital signs of term newborns during MR Am J Neuroradiol 1996 17: 1033–6

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Philbin MK, Robertson A, Hall JW III . Recommended permissible noise criteria for occupied, newly constructed or renovated hospital nurseries J Perinatol 1999 19: 559–63

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Anderssen SH, Nicolaisen RB, Gabrielsen GW . Autonomic response to auditory stimulation Acta Paediatr 1993 82: 913–8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Long JG, Lucey JF, Philip AGS . Noise and hypoxemia in the intensive care nursery Pediatrics 1980 65: 143–5

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Steinschnneider A . Sound intensity and respiratory responses in the neonate. Comparison with cardiac rate responses Psychosomat Med 1968 30: 534–41

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Gray L, Philbin MK . Measuring sound in hospital nurseries J Perinatol 2000 20: S100–4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. http://home.tir.com/~ms/noisecontrol/noisecontrol.html

  15. Gray L . Properties of sound J Perinatol 2000 20: S21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Harris CM . Handbook of Acoustical Measurements and Noise Control New York: Acoustical Society of America 1998 p 20–44

    Google Scholar 

  17. Hirschorn M . Noise Control Reference Handbook Bronx, NY: Industrial Acoustics Company 1989 p B1–4 C1–10, F1–22

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cole JG, Begish-Duddy A, Judas ML, Jorgensen KM . Changing the NICU environment: the Boston City Hospital model Neonatal Network 1990 9: 15–23

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Evans J, Philbin MK . Facility and operations planning for quiet hospital nurseries J Perinatol 2000 20: S105–12

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Beranek L . Acoustical Measurements New York: American Institute of Physics 1988 p 513

  21. Moore BCJ . Loudness, adaptation, and fatigue In: Moore BCJ, editor Introduction to the Psychology of Hearing 2nd ed New York: Academic Press 1982 p 48–9

    Google Scholar 

  22. Als H, Duffy FH, McAnulty GB . Behavioral differences between preterm and full term newborns as measured with the APIB system scores: I Infant Behav Dev 1988 11: 305–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Als H, Duffy FH, McAnulty GB . The APIB, an assessment of functional competence in preterm and full-term newborns regardless of gestational age at birth: II Infant Behav Dev 1988 11: 319–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Bassel Choucair, Oswaldo Gaytan, MD, PhD, and Steven Philip for their help with data collection and graphics, the administration and nursery staff of Memorial Hermann Children's Hospital for financial support and all-important human effort, the Division of Neonatology of the University of Texas — Houston Medical School for its sustained intellectual and administrative support, and Jack B. Evans, P.E. for suggestions regarding technical aspects of the manuscript. The work was performed in the Otolaryngology Laboratory of the University of Texas — Houston Medical School.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, The Children's Regional Hospital at Cooper Hospital, Camden, NJ, USA

    M Kathleen Philbin RN, PhD

  2. UMDNJ — Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Camden, NJ, USA

    M Kathleen Philbin RN, PhD

  3. Department of Otolaryngology, University of Texas — Houston Medical School, Houston, TX, USA

    Lincoln Gray PhD

Authors
  1. M Kathleen Philbin RN, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Lincoln Gray PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Philbin, M., Gray, L. Changing Levels of Quiet in an Intensive Care Nursery. J Perinatol 22, 455–460 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210756

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7210756

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links