[Acoustic pollution in neonatal and paediatric intensive care units: a literature review]

The purpose of this review is to describe acoustic pollution in neonatal and paediatric intensive care units, sources and effects of noise on patients and health care professions and interventions to reduce it.

The literature review was carried out using four main databanks from November 2016 to December 2016 through variously combined keywords and Mesh. 237 papers were detected. Presence of full text and pertinence were selection criteria.

43 papers and 2 guidelines were selected. The issue of acoustic pollution was more intensely investigated in neonatal intensive care settings since 2008-2009; research was present in quite numerous countries, although the majority of the studies were carried out in the USA. Most studies show acoustic levels above recommended levels. Many researches attempt to identify the source of noise (monitor, incubators, ventilatory circuits, conversations) and the effects of intense noise like stress, loss of hearing, alterations of vital signs. Interventions to address the issue involve some changes in the staff behaviour through education, drawing the attention of the caregivers to the problem, through modifications of the settings and the use of specific materials to limit noise.

A prolonged exposure to noise can cause serious damage to the patients in the short and long term; the contribution of the nursing staff to limit and control acoustic pollution is thus important.