Noise survey of neonatal intensive care unit at a government tertiary-care centre
What is it about?
In this research, we carried out a noise survey of NICU at tertiary care centre and found out that there was considerable amount of noise (much higher that the standards) which not only hinders the growth of sick newborns but also becomes a source of stress for working professionals. The extended role of audiologists in the NICU, apart from early identification and intervention, has been discussed- quantification and management of noise. The research also explores out several strategies to manage the noise in the NICU.
Why is it important?
With technological advancement, Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) have become noisier than ever. Studies have shown the detrimental effects of increasing noise in NICU on growing pre-term and sick neonates. The present study aimed to survey the amount of noise in one of the NICU blocks of a government tertiary care centre and explore ways to control it when dealing with these sick babies.