A newly published study from Sweden describes the audible atmosphere of an intensive care unit patient room over a 24-hour period. The study aimed to investigate sound level data and compare patient recollection of the sound environment during the stay. The study showed that sound levels are exceeding 55dB between 70-90% of the time, which […]
ICU
ICU staff become more relaxed
“Staff really cool down in here, relaxed. The different light, the muffled sound, and the nice colors in the room affect everyone who stays here, “says ICU nurse Ann-Louise Smith. Ann-Louise works as an ICU nurse at Södra Älvborgs Hospital, where one of the ICU rooms is specially designed to create a better environment […]
Design as a medicine in an ICU
Can the design of a room lead to quicker recovery like a medicine? Design as medicine That is what is being investigated in a project at an ICU at Södra Älvsborgs hospital in Borås, Sweden. The design of the patient room includes the use of soft colors, the sound environment is being controlled by acoustic […]
The ICU patient room – a healing environment study
This year will be the start of a doctoral study to be performed at Södra Älvsborgs Sjukhus in Borås, Sweden in an ICU patient room ICU patient room The aim of the project is to study if a holistically designed patient room in a general intensive care unit affects (supports the well-being of) the occupants […]
Influence of noise on patient’s sleep
Noise levels in hospitals are typically more than 15 dB(A) higher than target values given in guidelines (for example target values from WHO and the US Environmental Protection Agency). Furthermore, noise is often one of the top complaints from staff and patients. This is concluded in a review made by Hui Xie and Jian Kang […]
Room acoustics’ influence on sleep
Unwanted sound (noise) has been documented to be a serious problem for hospitalized patients. In some cases, different forms of intensive care noise levels can reach levels that are above what is advisable from a health and safety perspective (work environment perspective). In many hospitals, noise levels are not a threat to healthy people and […]
