Perceived noise in patients and discomfort due to noise

Park, Hyun-Sook; Kim, Kyung-Hae

The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education 1997;3(2):150-162.
Published online December 31, 1997.

Park Hyun-Sook;Kim Kyung-Hae;

¹Kyungpook National University Hospital
²Kyungpook National University Hospital

일 병원 입원 환자의 소음인지 정도 및 소음으로 인한 불편감

박현숙, 김경혜

¹경북대학교 병원
²경북대학교 병원

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine hospital noise level and discomfort due to noise. The subjects were 156 patients from University hospital in Taegu. The data was collected from April 10 to May 14, 1997. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS program using percentage, paired t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson Correlation Coefficient. The results were as follows ; The mean score of noise level was 1.62. There was no statistically significant difference in noise level between day and night. Patients perceived higher noise in the categories of conversation of visitors, conversation of care providers, noise of air conditioners, and the conversation of nearby patients than others during the day. Patients perceived higher noise in the categories of noise of air conditioners, conversation of visitors, conversation of care providers, and telephone ringing than others during the night. There were no statistically significant differences in noise level among the 4 wards during the day or night. Discomfort was due to the forementioned noise, categories of high scores were sleep disturbed, irritated, not so bad or not noisy, and noisy. To avoid noise, the subjects coped by putting on a quilt, going out, sleeping, opening or closing the window or door, and plugging ears. These results indicated that hospital noise have a negative influence on patients' health. So noise levels should be reduced in hospitals.