UM Shore Regional Health is well on the way to “Destination Quietness.” All units and departments have completed noise assessment and noise reduction plans for their areas, and many thoughtful, effective strategies have been identified.
All plans are based on the UM Shore Regional Quietness Beliefs:
We respect every patient’s need for quiet in all spaces, at all times of the day and in all care interactions.
Every patient gets a restful night’s sleep when his or her condition allows.
We communicate our goal for a quiet, healing environment to every patient, family and visitor.
We work together to identify and eliminate sources of noise.
We support each team member in becoming better skilled in quiet, healing behavior.
We focus on and support reduction of noise in team member work areas.
We hold ourselves and one another accountable for quiet standards. We actively seek best practices for quietness.
The task for individual units and departments is to actualize those beliefs — bring them to life — in their environments. Here are some of the excellent strategies identified in the Destination Quiet plan created by a selection of units and departments:
- Plant Ops tickets for MRI stretcher to buffer the wheel noise and cart rattle
- When safe, close the patient doors during treatments and conversations
- Close office doors during conference calls, speaker phone calls, webinars, or meetings
- Speak with EVS supervisor about noise of large trash cart and floor buffering
- Request to Plant Ops to evaluate whether the pressure alarms on the doors can be turned lower.
- At team meeting identify “noisy neighbors” and factor into bed assignments
- Call or walk to individuals within the office suite to converse
- Place a note card on the phone at the nurses station with the OB number on it to facilitate calling when a waiting room gets noisy
- Staff education to in-service nurses on deactivating the pulse OX when no longer needed.
- Supply patients in double rooms with headphones
- Volume on infusion pumps will be decreased
- Close doors to the unit at night
- Improve staff awareness of conversations in hallways to lower volume
- Bio Med ticket for portable noise and locks on equipment in room 1
- High heels should be discouraged in hospital due to noise level
- Minimize pneumatic tube use
- Request replacement of noisy carts with newer, quieter ones.
- Lower ring tone volume on all phones
This is just a sampling of the diverse strategies now being undertaken. Do you have an idea that will help your work area be a calmer, quieter place in which your patients can heal and/or your colleagues can heal? If so, be sure to share it with your supervisor.