Noise in healthcare facilities is known to hinder communication among staff, causing annoyance, irritation and fatigue, and detrimentally impact the quality and safety of healthcare, according to an article on the Medical Life Sciences News website.
Researchers from King's College London and the University of the Arts London (UAL) say that it is a worsening problem, with levels regularly exceeding international recommendations.
Even in intensive care units, which care for the most vulnerable patients, noise levels of more than 100dB have been measured, the equivalent of loud music through headphones.
The researchers say that it can also impact a patients' ability to rest, heal and recover, since it has been linked to the development of ICU psychosis, hospitalization-induced stress, increased pain sensitivity, high blood pressure and poor mental health.
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