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The effectiveness of white noise for sleep quality in patients admitted to the intensive care unit: a randomized
Ya-Ching Nien1, Shih-Feng Weng2, Pi-Ling Chou3
1Department of Nursing, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Objectives:
To determine the effectiveness of white noise intervention for sleep quality in ICU patients.
Methods:
An experimental and longitudinal study using block randomization was conducted in a medical center in southern Taiwan between March 2023 and August 2024. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control group. The intervention group received white noise at 40-50 dB from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. for three consecutive nights, while the control group received routine care without white noise. Data were collected using the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale (VSHSS) at baseline and on days 1, 3, and 5. Comparisons between those two groups were made using the Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE).
Results:
A total of 58 patients were included, with 29 in each group (average age 61.7 ± 13.6 years, 56.9 % male). Significant differences were shown in the intervention group with greater reductions in total sleep scores and sleep disturbances on days 1, 3 and 5 (p < 0.01), improved sleep effectiveness on days 3 and 5 (p < 0.01), and increased sleep supplementation score on day 3 (p < 0.01) compared to the control group.
Conclusions:
This study shows that white noise may increase subjectively assessed sleep quality in ICU patients.
Implications For Clinical Practice:
White noise intervention may mask environmental noise during patients ICU stays and contribute to overall well-being.
