Workplace Accommodations for Workers With Hearing Loss: A Scoping Review With Implications for the Health Setting

To highlight current workplace accommodation for workers with hearing loss (WHL) with specific emphasis on those in the health care sector. To identify how current accommodations can be used to improve the experiences of health care workers with hearing loss.

Four databases (Embase, Ovid Medline, Web of Science, and CINAHL Complete) were searched using keywords related to workplace accommodations for WHL.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied by 2 authors independently reviewing each article, while a third author resolved any discrepancies. Results were reported according to PRISMA-ScR guidelines.

Among the 393 publications identified in the database searches and 8 publications identified from manual bibliographic searches, 11 studies were included. All articles were cross-sectional surveys or qualitative studies. These articles included 714 WHL in a range of workplace settings. One hundred fifty-one (21.1%) and 43 (60.2%) of the WHL used personal assistive listening devices (PALD) and American Sign Language, respectively. Among the WHL, 254 (35.6%) were health care workers. The most common accommodation was the use of captioning technology and PALD. Among health care WHL, the use of amplified stethoscopes was the only specific accommodation reported. Additional accommodations desired among health care WHL included increased advocacy, financial assistance with PALD, improved technology and the routine use of transparent face masks.

While several workplace accommodations have been implemented, there is still room for improvement. Improved accommodation tailored to the needs of health care WHL could improve retention, productivity, and patient safety.