Noise Pollution/Reduction Education for Frontline Staff in the Acute Care Setting

Noise levels in hospital settings have risen beyond the recommended range of 35-40 decibels, resulting in poor patient healing outcomes and other health conditions ranging from sleep deprivation, anxiety, agitation, delirium, depression, and high heart rate and blood pressure. These negative patient health experiences are evidenced by poor scores for the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, which are indicators of patients\u27 perceptions of care. This project explored whether an educational activity for 48 direct care staff, who include registered nurses and nursing assistants, in a cardiac unit on the impact of noise pollution on patient healing would increase staff members\u27 knowledge of interventions to reduce noise pollution. The information processing theory guided this project. Eighty-nine percent of the participants strongly agreed that the educational activity was relevant to their practice as health care providers on the cardiac monitored unit. All participants strongly agreed that they would be able to identify when the unit was noisy and when noise was impacting a patient both physiologically and psychologically. Participants indicated that they could implement the suggested behavioral modifications to promote a healing environment. Participants strongly agreed that the speaker was effective in communicating the importance of noise pollution and its impact on patient healing and ways in which to combat the problem (89%), and they were generally satisfied with the learning activity (91%). Reducing noise pollution might create a healing environment for cardiac patients, thus positively impacting patient satisfaction and well-being