A study suggests new, more melodious sounds to replace the “beeps” of machines present in hospitals, which would reduce the stress of patients and nursing staff.
- Every day, caregivers hear a thousand “beeps” in the hospital.
- Only 15% of these alarms would actually be important.
- A new study suggests replacing these “beeps” with a melody.
At the hospital, it’s impossible not to hear them…the “beeps beeps” machines, especially in intensive care units or intensive care units. These sounds alert healthcare professionals in the event of a problem and therefore ring constantly, which can be very stressful for caregivers and patients.
More melodious, less stressful sounds that aren’t harder to understand
To remedy this problem, a study proposes to change the “beeps beeps” machines by a melody of three instruments, each of which represents a vital function:
- Bass string for heart rate
- Guitar for oxygen saturation
- Xylophone for blood pressure
“When all goes well, the whole thing would produce rather harmonious music, more pleasant for the daily staff, can we read on the website of France Info. Then, as soon as a constant panicked, the sound of the instrument would become more and more acute, constituting a perceptible alarm through this change. If the harmony changes and disharmony arises, something is wrong.”
During this study, 42 people listened to different types of alarms, classics “beeps beeps” with more melodious sounds. The researchers’ goal was to assess their irritability. Results: a majority found the melodies less irritating but not more difficult to understand, in the event of a problem with a patient.
A thousand beeps per day in the hospital
The alarm signal therefore remains the same, but the sounds listened to would be more pleasant for caregivers… Which could change their daily lives. Currently, every day they hear a thousand “beeps”, according to this study. Yet, other works showed that only 15% of alarms would actually be significant. Alarm tones are set by international standards, according to France Info. These new melodies would therefore need to be modified in order to be implemented in hospitals and thus avoid significant noise pollution for caregivers.
