Proposed Topic (Most preferred): :
Clinical Safety and Quality Service III (Projects aiming at quality service to patients and their carers)
Proposed Topic (Second preferred): :
Staff Engagement and Empowerment (motivating staff / teamwork / work revamp tackling manpower issue / staff wellness / OSH / retention)
Authors (including presenting author) :
Chan MY(1), Yip YM(1), Shek CC(1), Lee B(1), Cheung SC(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital
Introduction :
Infants in NICU are vulnerable to negative influence of environmental stimuli like sound of high intensity, especially preterm infants. Undesirable sound may cause physiological stress (include apnoea, hypoxaemia, increased oxygen consumption), sleep interference, secondary to raised heart rate and respiratory rate, and may affect infants’ neurodevelopment. Sound reduction in NICU to promote quiet time is important in the infants' neurobehavioral and brain development. In our unit, there was lack of standard protocol on sound control and determining different sound levels. Staff was not alert and aware of environmental stimuli to disturb developmental outcome of infants due to limited exposure on sound control training.
Objectives :
To determine sound levels for quiet time promotion in NICU and to evaluate the effect of education training for staff awareness on sound control.
Methodology :
The project was conducted in NICU, PMH by a pretest-posttest quasi experimental design between February and July 2023 with use of one-group pre- and post- questionnaire methodology. Nurses were eligible to participant in it to attend training on sound control and determining sound levels in NICU. Sound measurement device (Decibel X) was used in the training program of sound control. By using self-reported pre- and post- questionnaire, the effect of sound control strategies and staff training on sound control were evaluated.
Result & Outcome :
Total 51 nurses attended training with 100% responding rate of pre- and post- questionnaire. 25% of nurses had no NICU specialty training and worked less than 5 years. In pre-questionnaire, most nurses were lack of knowledge on sound levels in NICU, negative effects of noise to the infants’ development. After the training, all nurses agreed training was important for increased their awareness and knowledge on sound levels and effects to infants and was useful to implement quiet time for providing good sleep quality and neurobehavioral development to infants in NICU. Sound measurements were taken before and after training on sound reduction, and reduced sound levels was significant to promote quiet time in NICU. From nurses’ feedback, they suggested to involve other healthcare professionals and parents in sound reduction to promote quiet time to infants in NICU and sound levels should be determined through measurement periodically.
