The role of critical alarms in the icu acoustic environment

Abstract

While developments in medical device technology improve clinical monitoring by incorporating more sensitive features, they also lead to high ICU noise levels due to the increased number of alarms. This study seeks to understand the effect of critical alarms from various medical devices, such as patient monitors, infusion pumps, and mechanical ventilators, on overall sound pressure levels and existing noise metrics in the Adult ICU of Erasmus Medical Center. The study was conducted for ten days, during which two patients were admitted, and their usual care routines were maintained. A calibrated class II sound level meter was positioned above the patient’s head to continuously record acoustical data in one of the single-patient ICU rooms. Acoustic parameters, including LAf, LCPeak, LAeq, were measured, and alarm logs were retrieved from the alarm management database. Patient monitor alarms were also analyzed by severity, as different alarms have distinct acoustic characteristics. Initial findings indicate that equivalent sound pressure levels exceed recommended thresholds, however, with only a limited contribution of alarms. Future research should focus on a more comprehensive and human-centered acoustic characterization of this critical environment, so that relevant associations between health outcomes and sound environment can be made.