Comparative analysis of environmental noise levels in two paediatric intensive care units

1) To determine noise levels in two paediatric intensive care units (PICU) of a tertiary hospital and 2) to analyse whether these values comply with the current standards.

Observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study carried out in two PICU with different infrastructure: bays separated by curtains and individual bedrooms. A PCE-999 sound level meter was used to determine noise levels, which were registered in decibels (dB). At the same time, an ad hoc data recording document was designed in which we differentiated between each unit (open concept or closed), time of recording.

A total of 330 tests, 72 from open PICUs and 258 from closed PICUs were collected. The noise in the open PICU was 56.74 ± 3.61 decibels versus 50.36 ± 4.71 in the closed PICU, obtaining the highest levels during the morning.

As it occurs in other studies, noise levels exceed the allowed limits. At the same time, the main sources of noise in the PICU came from alarms, medical equipment, such as monitors or respirators, and conversations between health professional.

This investigation has shown high levels of environmental noise in the two PICUs analysed. The data obtained indicate that the architectural concept of individual bedrooms may have an impact in decreasing this environmental input.