Reducing Noise Through Awareness in the NICU

Abstract

In the NICU, environment sounds and noise can be challenging for the preterm and/or sick newborn baby. Reducing noise to provide an environment with appropriate and meaningful auditory experiences such as parents’ voices is important. Elimination of loud noises will furthermore benefit the families and staff. In 2016, the NICU at Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, collaborated with SoundEar™, a company that develops noise-meters for indicating and collecting noise levels, to develop a software program that was appropriate and easy to use. The aim was to support reduction in noise levels at the NICU through different layers of nudging: The noise meters with dis-plays should help staff and families become aware of their own noise levels and change their noisy behavior. The software helps staff become aware of when and where noise levels are critical and something should be done differently. The software sends out noise reports on a weekly basis via email to key staff members, who use these reports as a basis for further discussion about noise at staff meetings.