A study in hospital noise - a case from Taiwan

Hospitals are places that allow patients to rest and recover, and therefore must be quiet inside and in the surrounding neighborhood. One medical center was chosen as a sample hospital. This hospital was a tertiary care center during the 2003 outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Taiwan. The measurement results show that the noise level in the wards and stations was between 50.3 and 68.1 dB which exceeded the suggested hospital ward sound level. The quietest units were the Surgical Intensive Care Unit and recovery rooms with a noise level lower than 50 dB during the night. The higher noise levels were in the hall and pharmacy which were highly populated areas. This study analyzed the causes of this excessive noise and used noise reduction methods. The paired t test was performed and the results showed improvement methods were successful. This study found the noise levels reached 98.5-107.5 dB in power generator rooms and air-conditioning facilities, and suggests employees use ear plugs.