A study to identify the acoustical characterisation of an ICU
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study to identify the acoustical characterisation of an Intensive Care Unit
IRAS ID
128446
Contact name
Deborah Dawson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Free NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Noise is considered an environmental pollutant; there are few studies that consider the impact of noise in an intensive care unit (ICU) on the critically ill and the staff that care for them. The aim of this study is to identify the soundscape (a soundscape is the auditory equivalent of a visual landscape) of an ICU, using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Previous preliminary study in the general ICU has identified noise levels greater than recommended by the World Health Organisation in 1999 and provided information to enable the specification of a sound measurement system that can be used in multiple locations in an ICU. This proposed study aims to measure sound over a continuous period of at least a month, in multiple locations across the GICU, producing a “noise map” and identifying through intermittent observational study individual sources of sound that may represent annoyance. Concurrently the study aims to identify the perceptions and impact of noise in the general ICU on patients, visitors and staff.
REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
15/NI/0106
Date of REC Opinion
2 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion