@article{ref1,
title="Traffic and noise in children's wards",
journal="Medical journal of Australia",
year="1994",
author="Couper, R. T. and Hendy, K. and Lloyd, N. and Gray, N. and Williams, S. and Bates, D. J.",
volume="160",
number="6",
pages="338-341",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To measure pedestrian traffic volumes and noise levels in paediatric open bay areas and discuss their impact on the care of sick children. METHODS: Between August and October 1992, we recorded the number and duration of entrances to two open bay areas comprising eight and ten beds respectively in a ward for infants and a ward for older children. Eight 24-hour periods (1200 to 1200) Friday to Saturday were assessed. Noise levels in decibels dB(A) were measured at 15-minute intervals. RESULTS: In an average 24-hour period, 5.5 (SD +/- 1.3) patients in the infants' ward and 9.5 (SD +/- 0.6) patients in the children's ward received 617 (SD +/- 85) and 683 (SD +/- 64) visits by 104 (SD +/- 20) and 110 (SD +/- 2) individuals respectively. The maximum numbers of visits per hour were 57 (SD +/- 14) and 54 (SD +/- 8) visits between 1500 and 1600 hours on Friday for each ward. Visits tended to be brief; 225 (SD +/- 23) and 217 (SD +/- 34) visits were of less than one minute's duration. The maximum noise levels of 57.3 dB(A) (SD +/- 6.3) and 64.6 dB(A) (SD +/- 3.5) occurred at 1000 Saturday and 1900 Friday and coincided with peak traffic volumes. CONCLUSIONS: Open bay areas generate high traffic volumes and coincident noise. Consideration should be given to either modifying or abolishing open bay areas and to general noise control measures.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0025-729X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}