Development of environmental sound adjustment method in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K15946
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Lifelong developmental nursing
• Research Institution: Kansai University of International Studies (2018); Kyoto Tachibana University (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: NAKAJIMA TOMIKO 関西国際大学, 保健医療学部, 教授 (60248854)
• Research Collaborator: TOKITA YUKO ; SHIMIZU YOSHIKO
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 環境音 / NICU / 可視化 / 早産児の発達 / 最大音圧

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Environmental sounds are recommended to be considered in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) to minimize the impact on the development of preterm infants. This study aimed to clarify environmental sound adjustment by environmental sound visualization in NICU. As a method, after reporting the result of measuring the maximum sound pressure, the environmental sound was adjusted in the facility, and the second measurement was performed about two months later. As a result, the second maximum sound pressure was lower than the first measurement, and the maximum sound pressure in the daytime was stronger than that in the night, it can be said that visualization by environmental sound measurement result report is to lead to measures. As well as it is necessary to further study how to reduce the maximum sound pressure.

Free Research Field

生涯発達看護学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

NICUの環境音を推奨基準に維持することは容易ではないが、環境音を可視化し認識に働きかけて環境音を低減する試みはある程度の成果が期待できるといえる。しかし、各種機器の最大音圧は警報音としての役割を持っているため音圧の低減はあまり見込めない。そのため、警報を電波に変更する等の対策を今後検討する必要がある。