title: Comparing sound measurements in the single-family room with open-unit design neonatal intensive care unit: the impact of equipment noise.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if measured sound levels in the occupied level 3 single-family room (SFR) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) will be significantly and perceptibly different from the occupied level 3 open-unit (OU) NICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control. Comparison of sound measurements obtained with varying types of respiratory support in SFR unit with measurements obtained from OU level 3 bedside NICU.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SFR sound measurements were quieter and less loud compared with the open unit, except when high-frequency ventilation (HFV) was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The SFR level 3 NICU is a quieter, less loud environment compared with the open unit level 3 Bedside NICU when the patient is supported on room air, high flow nasal cannula, bubble continuous positive airway pressure and conventional ventilation. High HFV will result in similar measurements to the open unit level 3 bedside NICU.
authors.affiliation: Pediatrix Medical Group of Florida, The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida, Fort Myers, FL, USA. william_liu@pediatrix.com
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006612:High-Frequency Ventilation / Q000295:instrumentation; D006749:Hospital Design and Construction / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric