Table 3.

Patient descriptions of the medical intensive care unit at night

Noise “MICU is always noisy… It is in a hospital, of course people are coming in and out very often.” (patient, 6001) “The noise is tremendous up here…the alarms going off and beeps going off.” (patient, 6007) “It was calm at night in the MICU. It was normal I guess for a hospital to be noisy. I don’t think it was loud.” (patient, 6012)

In-room Interruptions “There are a lot of things going on at night. Well, that’s why you’re in the MICU because you’re in trouble.” (patient, 6007) “They (staff) were there all the time.” (patient, 6001) “My blood is drawn every three hours.” (patient, 6013) “I felt at ease. I felt secure at night and I felt everybody was taking care of my needs to the best of their ability…not a lot of commotion, just a very soothing community.” (patient, 6005)