Hola a tod@s, my dear friends.
April 27th, World Day Against Noise. We join the initiative of #FFPaciente: we need to generate awareness about the negative effects of noise on health centers… and in society in general.
In the ICU, more than 30% of the patients can develop disorientation and even delirium, resulting in increased hospital stay and morbi-mortality. One of the factors that can cause it is the sleep-wake disorder, and definitely noise does not help.
We want to share with you an article published in Critical Care in 2013 about noises in the ICU and the recommendations of the World Health Organization – WHO (35-40 dBA).
The autors measured what was happening on five ICU in United Kingdom, by sound monitors. On average, more than half the time the 45 dBA are exceeded , reaching almost 60 in the individual boxes. Peaks of more than 85 dBA were recorded in all units (more than 16 times per hour during the day).
In this study, all the UCI had sound levels greater than those recommended by WHO, similars to a lively restaurant.
These levels proposed by WHO are so low that are not attainable in the ICU, in the opinion of the authors. In any case, the staff, alarms and equipment noise can be clearly improved.
Reduction of noise with educational programmes and the use of devices as earplugs should be considered.
What is not measured, is invisible. And in this case, loud and annoying.
Gabi
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