Hospital noise can pose safety risk

Noise pollution also contributes to stress among hospital staff and affects patients' sleep patterns and blood pressure

By Healthcare Facilities Today


Researchers at the University of California, San Diego are working on ways to reduce noise levels, which can become as loud as a jet engine at some points during the day and can affect patients' sleep patterns and blood pressure, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.

"All of the equipment is going for 20 patients. And now 20 more nurses walk in and they're each having one-to-one conversations about each patient's status and everyone's speaking above the level of the EKG alarm and the overhead announcements and the ventilator systems," Eve Edelstein, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of Arizona, said in the article.

Noise pollution also contributes to stress among hospital staff, Edelstein said. She is working with UC San Diego music and sonic arts professor, Peter Otto, on noise reduction strategies, according to the article. 

Otto has developed a sound bender —  a small machine that directs sound. In a hospital, a sound bender could restrict sound to the people who need to hear it.

Read the article.

 

 

 

 



March 10, 2014


Topic Area: Maintenance and Operations


Recent Posts

EaaS: Funding Infrastructure Projects with Energy Savings

Process converts necessary upgrades from capital liabilities into strategic investments using operational dollars.


Balancing Security Systems with Patient Comfort in Healthcare

Security systems, safety and inviting atmospheres don’t have to be in conflict.


Harris Health Reports 10-Year Data Breach

Their investigation determined that the impermissible access to patient information occurred between January 4, 2011, and March 8, 2021.


Gen Z Trusts AI More Than Their Managers

Some employees would rather engage with AI than their managers.


CISA Lapse Amid Government Shutdown Raises Concerns for Healthcare Cybersecurity

Lawmakers had sought to renew it for another decade, but disagreements in the Senate stalled reauthorization.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.