Understanding Noise in the Emergency Department: Nurses’ Perceptions, Quantitative Measurements, and Practical Implications

Abstract

Objective: This study’s primary objective includes evaluating the opinion of nurses about the effects of noise on their health, gathering suggestions for strategies to reduce noise levels in the workplace and the assessment of noise levels in the emergency department of a hospital. Materials and Methods: This observational study with a mixed data analysis methodology was conducted on a sample of 42 nurses. Data were collected through a questionnaire created for this purpose. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used, and the study received a favorable opinion from the ethics committee. Results: The noise level assessment showed that nurses were exposed to an average of 62.9 dB during an 8-h shift. The study group claims that the noise level affects the efficacy of handover and the various activities during the working shift, compromising patient safety. Structural and architectural improvements, in combination with awareness campaigns targeting the users of the hospital, reminding the importance of keeping a low noise volume, were two of the leading suggestions of the staff nurses involved in the study. Conclusion: Noise is an essential aspect of the health quality of professionals as well as the quality of care. Since the sample was small and the study was conducted only in one hospital, further studies will be needed to make the hospital environment safer for professionals and users.

Keywords

• Nurses
• Noise
• Emergency Department
• Patient Safety

References

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