Voice use of nurses working in the intensive care unit during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the voice use of nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) and their perception of acoustic environments.

SETTING AND SAMPLE: The research was conducted in four different hospitals in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 60 ICU nurses were recruited for their voice use monitoring and 100 nurses participated in the survey.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Firstly, voice-related parameters such as voice level (SPL, dB), fundamental frequency (F0, Hz), and voicing time percentage (Dt, %) were measured using a vocal monitor. To collect data, a non-invasive accelerometer was attached to the participants' necks during their working hours. Secondly, the perception of the ICU acoustic environment was assessed using semantic differential.

RESULTS: The results showed that nurses spoke approximately 0.9-4 dB louder to patients and colleagues in ICUs compared to quiet rooms, and their fundamental frequency (F0) significantly increased during work. The voice levels of nurses were influenced by background noise levels, with a significant correlation coefficient of 0.44 (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the background noise levels ranged from 58.1 to 73.9 dBA, exceeding the guideline values set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The semantic differential analysis identified 'Stress' and 'Irritation' as the two main components, indicating the prevalence of negative experiences within ICUs.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study highlights the potential risk of voice disorders among ICU nurses. The findings also underscore the importance of implementing strategies to reduce noise levels in ICUs to reduce voice disorders among nurses.