SILENTS - Sound in Clinical Environments
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sound in Clinical Environments (SILENTS)
IRAS ID
311990
Contact name
Hannah Skene
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 1 days
Research summary
Sound levels in acute clinical environments have been increasing over recent decades (Busch-Vishniac et al., 2005). Excessive sound levels in clinical environments can have a significant impact on the wellbeing of both patients (Hagerman et al., 2008) and staff (Penney & Earl, 2004), and may also increase the risk of medical errors (Mazer, 2005; Basner 2014).
Whilst previous studies in this area have documented high sound levels in clinical spaces, few have evaluated the effectiveness of noise reduction measures (de Lime Andrade, 2021). Therefore, there is a need to evaluate potential noise mitigation measures within the built environment, in particular measures that can be incorporated into a busy working ward with minimum disruption.
This study will investigate the impact of a series of noise mitigation measures in a ward at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, including the installation of acoustic absorbent ceiling tiles and wall panels, as well as other staff-facing measures. The impact of these on overall noise levels will be examined, as will the impact on staff and patient experience, and on DATIX incident reports.
REC name
North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/NW/0166
Date of REC Opinion
19 May 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion