The examinations were carried out in intensive care units for newborns at St. Olav’s hospital in Trondheim and Rikshospitalet in Oslo, in February and March this year. The research showed that noise levels were too high in both hospital departments. – It is a paradox that the sickest children who need the most assistance are exposed to the most noise, says Sarah Løvald. She has carried out the measurements and presents them in her master’s thesis. High above the limit value The limit levels for noise in the neonatal intensive care unit are set at 40–45 DbA. This measurement scale places the greatest emphasis on the frequencies that people hear best. In the neonatal intensive care units, Løvald measured up to 54.4 decibels. – This is quite a big difference from the limit value, says Løvald, who works as an acoustics consultant in Cowi. The measurements showed that noise levels are lower at St. Olav than at Rikshospitalet. This is because they have designed the floor plans and rooms in a different way, explains the acoustics consultant. Among other things, St. Olav has introduced private rooms for families, rather than a shared, open ward. Acoustics consultant Sarah Løvald has measured noise in intensive care units for newborns. Photo: Ragnhild Heggem Fagerheim / COWI Most noise in the incubators Løvald first looked at general noise levels in the department, but discovered early on that the biggest noise problem is the incubators. The incubators have vacuum pumps, oxygen supply and climate control, and when all these functions are switched on, the noise level is ten decibels above the recommended level. These machines have some noise reduction to the outside, but the baby inside the incubator is exposed to the loud sound. – It is not good that you have children who are sensitive and who have these high noise levels, says Løvald. In his master’s thesis, Løvald concludes that more testing and more measures are needed in intensive care units for newborns. The incubators have sound attenuation for the surroundings, but the sound inside is above the recommended level. Photo: Sarah Løvald Leads to increased medication of infants – She finds what many of us have been worried about for many years. Not enough consideration has been taken in the environment where we treat some of Norway’s sickest children. This is what Atle Moen, senior physician at the neonatal intensive care unit at Oslo University Hospital, says about the research findings. The head doctor says that noise affects the children physiologically, for example in that it can lead to increased blood pressure and reduced oxygen uptake. – Noise leads to increased drug use, including sedative drugs and a whole range of other drugs that we have to use to correct the noise level, says Moen. It can also lead to hearing damage, according to Løvald’s master’s thesis. Moen believes that the intentions for the notifications on the machines are good, but that the overall thinking is lacking: – Each manufacturer makes its own devices without understanding that it is one of many that contributes to noise, he says. Atle Moen, senior physician at the neonatal intensive care unit at Oslo University Hospital, is not surprised by the high noise measurements. Photo: Ingvild-Anita Velde / news Want to challenge the producers – I think these were interesting findings. That’s what Laila Øie, section manager of the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Olav’s hospital, says. The intensive care unit is characterized by high-tech equipment and alarms that make noise. A few years ago, the ward was therefore converted into a private room for the patients, which has reduced the noise levels significantly, says Øie. The section manager is surprised that the incubators have a noise level above international limit values. But the department is well aware that incubators can produce noise. Laila Øie, section manager of the neonatal intensive care unit at St. Olav’s hospital, thinks that the hospitals should put more pressure on those who produce incubators. Photo: Marthe Svendsen / news They therefore have measures such as taking the child out of the incubator, opening the incubator and using cloth on the inside for noise reduction. The most vulnerable children are given earplugs when they are in the incubator. Now Øie believes that the hospital must challenge the manufacturers to make less noisy machines: – We have a very new equipment park at St. Olav, so it is surprising that they have not managed to do anything about the problem.
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Harmful noise levels found in newborn wards in Trondheim and Oslo – news Trøndelag
