In the Strasbourg University Hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, noise is produced simultaneously by staff members going about their duties, patients, and family members, as well as equipment. According to Professor Kuhn, only 20% of the noise produced in a unit of this kind is produced by human voices; the remaining 80% is artificial noise produced by the technology.
Due to their heightened sensitivity to sound, premature newborns may experience stress that is harmful to their normal development.
Problem:
The Unit was trying to modify this setting as part of the NIDCAP program in order to make it more suited to the healthy development of young infants. One of the characteristics this study addressed was noise.
Due to this, Ms. Cayeux, the Unit Supervisor, proposed that one of the main objectives in the remedial work planned for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit should be acoustic improvement for both patients and staff.
Solution:
The room was equipped with Hygiene Advance Wall panels and a Hygiene Protec ceiling. The reverberation time managed to be decreased by about 50% thanks to these fixes. Naturally, this also led to a decrease in the room's overall sound level, which went from 55 dBA prior to the replacement work to 37.5 dBA after it was finished.
The requirements pertaining to healthcare facilities were taken into full consideration when selecting this solution. The use of specially designed materials that could be easily cleaned in compliance with numerous required processes was crucial since a newborn intensive care unit is an environment that is very vulnerable to infection. All of these requirements were satisfied by the Ecophon Hygiene line.
Benefits:
The medical and healthcare teams have given their complete approval towards the outcomes for this room. Everyone felt the difference: the space was more serene and peaceful. Additionally, this measure increased staff awareness of potential sources of noise and their effects on patients' healthy growth. This led to comparable upgrades for each room. There is space for one to four patients in each room.
We care about building better.
Client's Words:
You can't argue with the results – I’ve had nothing but positive feedback. Noise affects both patients and staff, so everyone wins.
Products Used
Ecophon Hygiene Advance Wall
Ecophon Hygiene Advance™ Wall can resist everyday washing and disinfecting with harsh chemicals. Suitable for the harshest environments, including airborne oil and grime particles.
