A recent CTV News story talked about an initiative at St. Mary’s Hospital Center whereby newborn babies and their mothers are given one hour of quiet time each day in order to bond. During the hour, the ward’s lights are dimmed, the intercom is turned off, visitors are encouraged to leave and doctors and nurses don’t visit patients unless there is an emergency.
The idea was implemented after joint research with the Department of Family Medicine at McGill that examined the benefits of a peaceful hospital environment.