Promote a Quieter, More Restful Healing Environment

Research has shown how important sleep is to mental and physical health, and that a peaceful environment is important to the healing process. Patients struggle with disturbances in hospitals every day, from overhead announcements, hallway conversations, and infuser pump alarms to squeaking wheels on rolling trays.  Noise not only disrupts patient healing, it is also a common source of dissatisfaction.

These acoustical design issues can be challenging to asses but it is critical to the healthcare environments for many reasons: privacy, stress, sleep, healing and possibly medical error. Designers are now being asked to go above their normal design process to not only manipulate visual elements but also address acoustical design challenges.

How are they doing it?  Below are some ways that Mayo Clinic embraced new design strategies to deal with noise disruptions:

1. Move shift change staff report to enclosed room away
from the nurse desk.
2. Place foam rubber padding in pneumatic-tube
document delivery systems.
3. Replace roll-type towel dispensers with folded towel
dispensers.
4. Routinely close doors to patient rooms.
5. Modify cardiac monitor setting to allow lower volumes in
patient rooms, add alarms that sound at nurse stations.
6. Use flashlights instead of overhead lights when entering
patient rooms.
7. Educate staff about the issue and share noise-control
measure