The Hospital (Not So) Quiet Zone: Creating an Environment for Patient Satisfaction Through Noise Reduction Strategies

To determine whether using existing noise reduction strategies improves patients' overall satisfaction level during hospitalization on an adult outpatient cardiology unit and to assess whether noise reduction strategies were effective to decrease the ambient noise for both staff and patient environments.

Excessive noise is a worldwide problem facing hospitals today. Noise has been proven to be detrimental to staff and patient well-being and hospital environment satisfaction levels.

Staff noise perception online surveys, a poster presentation, and education of noise reduction strategies were completed. Two 6-week phases of pre- and postimplementation noise reduction strategies were initiated including closing of the doors, verbal and visual alarm reminders for staff, posting quiet signs, and limiting equipment through the unit. Patient telephone interviews regarding the noise environment during hospitalization in both phases and a follow-up staff noise perception online survey were completed.

Staff surveys identified noise as an issue on the unit with staff communication (90%) being the main source. This correlated with patient surveys of five rooms closest to the desk considering the unit "noisy." Post-implementation patient surveys noted that strategies created in helping the unit become "quiet/mostly quiet." Closing patient doors was most effective in noise reduction, increasing patient unit satisfaction.

The use of visual cues and staff education are effective in reducing noise levels. Decreased noise levels improved overall patient satisfaction with their hospital experience and created a less stressful work environment.