Turn Down the Volume: A Study of Excessive Sound Levels in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background: World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommend that environmental sound levels in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) should be an hourly average level (LAeq) u003c45 dB and maximum level (LAmax) u003c65 dB. While studies have shown that ambient sound in NICUs often exceed these levels, information is lacking regarding sound exposure at the bedside. Our purpose in this study was to determine sound levels of common medical interventions in the NICU and inside the bedsides of neonates under varying conditions and to determine the association, if any, between NICU design, ventilator, incubator and shift of day and sound …