Noise in the Postanesthesia Care Unit: Identifying Potential Causes for Increased Noise Levels.

Purpose: With increasingly complex care, monitor alarms, and high patient traffic, the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) is one of the loudest patient care areas in the hospital. High noise levels lead to worse outcomes and impede recovery. The objective of this study is to measure the sound levels in the PACU and identify potential causes for increased sound levels.

Design: An observational study in the 24-unit PACU in the Ghent University Hospital was conducted.

Methods: Sound levels were measured every second continuously at 3 separate locations using noise dosimeters over a period of 11 days. During the sound measurements, the patient and nurse census in the PACU was measured.

Findings: The mean A weighted equivalent sound level pressure (LAeq) was 59.0 A-weighted decibel (dBA) (standard deviation 6.5), exceeded the noise levels recommended by the World Health Organization (40 dBA LAEQ). With an average LAEQ of 62.4 dBA (6.1), the morning shift is the noisiest. We evaluated the effect of patient census and nurse census on LAEQ. The overall regression was statistically significant (P < .001). Nurse census and patient census significantly predicted noise levels (P < .001).

Conclusions: Noise levels in the PACU were consistently above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Nurse census and patient census seemed to significantly impact the mean noise levels. Our results suggest that the most important sources of ambient noise are consistently present sources such as computers, ventilation systems, air-conditioning. These factors, along with the architectural design and nurse and patient census, might play a very important role in noise control.