Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3652-8782
Date of Award
Summer 5-10-2020
Degree Type
Project
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Department
Nursing
First Advisor
Susan Breslin
Abstract
Sound levels in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) consistently exceed the 45-decibel limit recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Excessive noise has been shown to cause detrimental short- and long-term effects on premature infants. The cost of a NICU stay in 2008 averaged $3500/ day with some exceeding $1 million at discharge (Muraskas & Parsi, 2008). Post-discharge, the cost of care for these children can be 7 times more than a term infant in the first year (Boss & Hobbs, 2013). Reducing the length of stay and long-term detrimental effects of a NICU stay will benefit organizations and the overall cost to society. This project tested the effectiveness on noise levels by using a free decibel phone application provided to staff within an open design NICU. Conclusion: Overall, mean decibel levels decreased after intervention, but more research is needed to prove if the decrease is not only significant, but also substantive.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/18834554
Recommended Citation
Schnellinger, Kelly, "The Effect of Utilizing a Smart Phone Decibel Reader Application by Unit Staff to Alert and Reduce Noise Levels in an Open-Design Neonatal Intensive Care Unit." , Georgia State University, 2020.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/18834554
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