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Noise exposure among staff in intensive care units and the effects of unit-based noise management: a monocentric prospective longitudinal study.
- Source :
- BMC Nursing; 12/6/2023, Vol. 22 Issue 1, p1-12, 12p
- Publication Year :
- 2023
-
Abstract
- Background: Intensive care units (ICUs) are often too noisy, exceeding 70–80 dBA, which can have negative effects on staff. The corresponding recommendation of the World Health Organization (average sound pressure level below 35 dBA) is often not achieved. To date there is a lack of intervention studies examining the extent to which unit-based noise management in ICUs contributes to a reduction in noise exposure for the staff. The study therefore aims to provide answers to 1) how unit-based noise management sustainably reduces the subjective noise exposure among staff, and 2) how this intervention affects other noise-related topics. Methods: We performed a monocentric prospective longitudinal study with three measurement points in a German university hospital in three ICUs. We collected data from different healthcare professionals and other professional groups between October 2021 and August 2022 using an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inference statistics. Results: A total of n = 179 participants took part in the surveys. The majority of participants were nurses or pediatric nurses. Most participants worked more than 75% full-time equivalent. Staff on the three ICUs reported high levels of noise exposure. No significant changes in noise exposure over time were observed. Participants were already aware of the topic and believed that a behavior change could positively influence the noise environment. Conclusions: This study provides an initial insight into how a unit-based noise management could contribute to a reduction in the subjective noise exposure among staff in ICUs. The results of this study highlight the importance of this topic. Future studies should aim to research aspects of adherence and their facilitators or barriers, which promote the sustained implementation of noise-reducing measures by staff. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS): DRKS00025835; Date of registration: 12.08.2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- NOISE control
HEALTH facility employees
INTENSIVE care units
INFERENTIAL statistics
INDUSTRIAL safety
EVALUATION of human services programs
ACADEMIC medical centers
CLINICAL trials
NOISE
OCCUPATIONAL exposure
HOSPITAL health promotion programs
MANN Whitney U Test
COMPARATIVE studies
PRE-tests & post-tests
PSYCHOSOCIAL factors
HOSPITAL nursing staff
PEDIATRIC nurses
RESEARCH funding
QUESTIONNAIRES
SCALE analysis (Psychology)
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
FACTOR analysis
INTRACLASS correlation
DATA analysis software
INDUSTRIAL hygiene
LONGITUDINAL method
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14726955
- Volume :
- 22
- Issue :
- 1
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- BMC Nursing
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 174028397
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01611-3