title: Improving the detectability of oxygen saturation level targets for preterm neonates: A laboratory test of tremolo and beacon sonifications.
abstract: Recent guidelines recommend oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels of 90%-95% for preterm neonates on supplemental oxygen but it is difficult to discern such levels with current pulse oximetry sonifications. We tested (1) whether adding levels of tremolo to a conventional log-linear pulse oximetry sonification would improve identification of SpO2 ranges, and (2) whether adding a beacon reference tone to conventional pulse oximetry confuses listeners about the direction of change. Participants using the Tremolo (94%) or Beacon (81%) sonifications identified SpO2 range significantly more accurately than participants using the LogLinear sonification (52%). The Beacon sonification did not confuse participants about direction of change. The Tremolo sonification may have advantages over the Beacon sonification for monitoring SpO2 of preterm neonates, but both must be further tested with clinicians in clinically representative scenarios, and with different levels of ambient noise and distractions.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Marie-Lys
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Deschamps
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of ITEE, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Australia. Electronic address: uqpsande@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Penelope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanderson
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hinckfuss
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Caitlin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Browning
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Robert G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Australia; Mater Mothers Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liley
authors.affiliation: School of ITEE, The University of Queensland, Australia; School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001307:Auditory Perception; D056902:Clinical Alarms; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D009146:Music; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
keywords: Auditory display; Patient monitoring; Pulse oximetry; Sonification