Author(s): Marzie Kargar, Fatemeh Hashemi, Bahare Beh Amooz, Seyed Mostajab Razavi, Seyed Mohamad Javad Mortazavi, Najaf Zare
Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of sounds control program on some physiological parameters of premature infants and on sounds intensity level of NICUs.
Methods: 20 premature infants at fetal age of 30-34 weeks and weight of 1000-2000 g were selected randomly. Before the intervention, blood oxygen saturation percentage, heart rate, respiration rate and their fluctuations were measured and recoded as well as the sounds intensity level at the infants care unit 3times a day (morning, afternoon and night) for one week. The intervention program was performed along the next week and all measurements were done at one, two and three weeks after the intervention. Data were analyzed by SPSS software after collection and multi sample repetitive scales variance test, post huck banferoni test and paired T test were performed.
Results: Sounds intensity average and its maximum and minimum, before the intervention at three shifts showed that they are all more than standard (45-50 db). There were no significant differences detected in blood O2 saturation percentage, and heart rate and their changes before and after the intervention but respiration rate and its changes were significantly decreased (p-value<0.05). By recognizing and control of sounds resources the total mean sounds intensity and total mean of maximum sounds intensity were decreased by 7.79 db and 13.07 db, respectively.
Conclusion: Sounds intensity at NICUs is more than standard level and this can have a relation with increased mortality of premature infants therefore it must be controlled and decreased.