Environmental noise sources and interventions to minimize them: a tale of 2 hospitals.
Noise has been shown to interfere with the healing process and can disrupt the patient's experience. This study assessed patients' and staff's perceptions of noise levels and sources in the hospital environment and identified interventions to reduce the noise level. The interventions significantly reduced noise as perceived by patients and staff. Identification of a structured process to identify noise sources and standardization of noise measurement methods can improve the patient hospital experience.
Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota, USA. overmandube.joyce@mayo.edu
Joyce A Overman
JA
Dube
Melissa M
MM
Barth
Cheryl A
CA
Cmiel
Susanne M
SM
Cutshall
Shelly M
SM
Olson
Stephanie J
SJ
Sulla
Jeffrey C
JC
Nesbitt
Steven C
SC
Sobczak
Diane E
DE
Holland
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003625:Data Collection; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006272:Health Facility Environment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006747:Hospital Communication Systems; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D008910:Minnesota; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000523:psychology*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D015397:Program Evaluation; D036301:Qualitative Research; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D017749:Total Quality Management / Q000458:organization & administration