Measurement of Annoying Sounds in Different Wards of a Hospital Affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran

Backgrounds Excessive noises are generally known as one of the most important causes of environmental pollution. Destructive effects of noise pollution on staff and patients of hospitals were confirmed. The current study aimed at measuring the intensity of noises and annoying sounds in different wards of a hospital affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran, in 2015.
Methods & Materials The current cross sectional study was conducted in a hospital affiliated to Bushehr University of Medical Sciences. The minimum and maximum levels of annoying sounds and noises were measured in 10 wards and the area around the hospital in the morning, evening, and night hours on weekdays and holidays. Data were collected using the 805 ST sound level meter. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. P was ≤0.05.
Results The most intensive noise was measured in the emergency ward, 67.16±7.7 dB, among the 11 wards of the hospital. The maximum and minimum intensive noises were the general pediatric ward (64.11 ± 4.8 dB) vs. males general ward (54.46±3.6 dB); nursing station of the emergency ward (67.15±7.7 dB) vs. nursing station of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) (44.78±5.1 dB), and the corridors of females general ward (66.18±9.1 dB) vs. the corridors of operating room (55.7±6.4 dB).
Conclusion The level of noise was higher than that of normal sounds in all hospital wards. Noise in the evening shift was more than those of the morning and night shifts. These findings stressed on the necessity of considering the issue of sound pollution in the studied hospital. Based on these findings, the hospital managers should attempt to eliminate or decrease such pollutants.