Hospitals should maintain appropriate noise levels to ensure optimal recovery for patients and patient satisfaction.
A Wall Street Journal report describes 13 ways hospitals are reducing noise:
1. Replacing overhead staff paging systems with wireless headsets.
2. Reducing the frequency and intensity of medical alarms.
3. Installing ambient white-noise machines.
4. Using sound-absorbing ceiling tiles and carpets.
5. Dimming lights in the evening.
6. Designating sleep hours during which there are no routine checks of vital signs unless necessary.
7. Asking staff to talk quietly.
8. Installing a noise monitor to identify when noise needs to be diminished.
9. Allowing patients to close their doors and post a "Do Not Disturb" sign.
10. Providing patients "Quiet Kits" with sleep masks, earplugs and crossword puzzles.
11. Programming TVs with calming music and images.
12. Offering headsets for TVs and iPads.
13. Creating teams to develop strategies for reducing noise.
More Articles on Hospital Noise:
17 Strategies to Improve Communication in the ED
Reduce Hospital Noise via Direct Communication to Improve HCAHPS Scores
Study: OR Noise Reduces Surgeons' Speech Comprehension