Impact of Noise on Nurses in Pediatric Intensive Care Units

Details

• Personal Author:
  Daraiseh NM ; Davis, Kermit G. ; Kinstler A ; Kotowski SE ; Lin L ; Vidonish WP III ; Wagner M ; Watson J
• Description:
  Background Excessive exposure to noise places nurses at risk for safety events, near-misses, decreased job performance, and fatigue. Noise is particularly a concern in pediatric intensive care units, where highly skilled providers and vulnerable patients require a quiet environment to promote healing. Objective To measure noise levels and noise duration on specialty pediatric intensive care units to explore sources of noise and its effects on the health of registered nurses. Methods In a cross-sectional pilot study, levels and sources of noise in 3 different specialty pediatric intensive care units were assessed. Fifteen nurses were observed for 4-hour sessions during a 24-hour period. Sound pressure levels (noise) and heart rate were measured continuously, and stress ratings were recorded. Descriptive statistics were calculated for noise (level, source, location, and activity), heart rate, and stress. The Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to analyze the relationship between heart rate and noise. Results Mean noise level was 71.9 (SD, 9.2) dBA. Mean heart rate was 85.2/min (SD, 15.8/min) and was significantly associated with noise, unit, within-unit location, nurse sources, and noise activities. The most frequent sources of noise were patients' rooms, care activities, and staff communications. Conclusions Noise levels in pediatric intensive care units exceed recommended thresholds and require immediate attention through effective interventions. Although noise was not associated with stress, a significant correlation with increased heart rate indicates that noise may be associated with adverse health outcomes. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Cardiovascular System Environmental Exposure Fatigue Health Care Facilities Workforce And Services Health Personnel Noise Noise, Occupational Occupational Health Risk Assessment Risk Factors Safety

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• Keywords:
  Exposure Levels Health Effects Heart Rate Medical Facilities Noise Exposure Noise Levels Nurses Risk Factors Stress
• ISSN:
  1062-3264
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 5
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  377-384
• Volume:
  24
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20049991
• Citation:
  Am J Crit Care 2015 Sep; 24(5):377-384
• Contact Point Address:
  Nancy M. Daraiseh, PhD, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 7014, Cincinnati OH 45229-3026
• Email:
  nancy.daraiseh@cchmc.or
• CAS Registry Number:
  Carbon nanotubes (CAS RN 308068-56-6)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2015
• Performing Organization:
  University of Cincinnati
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  American Journal of Critical Care
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:7a936b93d1e35f78d3710e5286e4bfe91e91ed9325d506354933b6e62efd27308cfdda3202ca230aabaa37c5b5dbac2665e0f290cb3dfa9b27edd3c56a790284
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/210555/cdc_210555_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 179.64 KB ]