Peak noise distribution in the neonatal intensive care nursery.
OBJECTIVE
To measure short duration sounds (L(PEAK)) in the neonatal intensive care unit and describe their intensity, incidence, and periodicity in relationship to activities within the unit.


METHODS
We measured 1-minute L(PEAK) at four locations within the intensive care unit, accumulating 48 hours of data for each weekday.


RESULTS
Thirty-one percent of the L(PEAK) exceeded 90 dB. For further analysis, the data were transformed to the proportion exceeding 90 dB. These values varied significantly with day, week, location, and time of day. During physician rounds, there was a 16% relative increase in L(PEAK).


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the intensity, incidence, and periodicity of short duration sounds in the intensive care nursery. Short duration sounds are known to affect the infant's physiological and behavioral states and should be addressed in future recommendations for sound control and reduction strategies.
Robertson
A
A
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA.
Cooper-Peel
C
C
Vos
P
P
D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006317:Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009657:North Carolina; D013997:Time Factors