Abstract

Session presented on: Friday, July 26, 2013: An evidence based research project: Noise Pollution in the workplace Purpose: The purpose of this evidence based project is to record and evaluate the noise level in the critical care setting by using a dosimeter to improve health care workers' environment. Background: The effect of noise pollution to patients and healthcare workers has been extensively studied both healthcare and industrial setting. Therefore the PICO question for this particular project is: Does the use of dosimeter as standardized equipment to record and evaluate the noise level in an acute critical care setting will improve the working conditions of the health care workers? Interventions: This project utilized evidence based practice to support changes by making use of the best evidence. Thirty staff nurses in the critical care unit in New Jersey who are involved in the recording, analyzing and evaluating the noise level participated in this evidence based research project. Staff Self Report Questionaires was used before and after incorporating dosimeter to examine the effectiveness of noise level detector in improving the workplace condition of the healthcare workers. Outcomes: The paired sample t test revealed that there is a significant improvement in the healthcare workers' working environment using dosimeter as a means to record the noise level. The result of the analysis for all outcomes measures indicated that there were significant differences between noise level monitored and noise level not monitored. This means that using noise level monitor is effective in improving the working condition of the healthcare workers, enhance critical thinking, reduce stress and promote a healthy work environment. Implications/Recommendation: Increased staff satisfaction with noise level kept at minimum level, promotes staff retention, prevents hearing loss. Further research needs to examine wethere using dosimeter as a standardized equipment in critical care setting reduce the incidence of medication error, work place violence and staff burnout.

Authors

Juanita Ormilon

Author Details

Juanita Ormilon, BSN, RNC-NIC, MSN

Sigma Membership

Iota Lambda

Type

Presentation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

N/A

Research Approach

N/A

Keywords:

noise, critical care units, healthcare workers

Conference Name

24th International Nursing Research Congress

Conference Host

Sigma Theta Tau International

Conference Location

Prague, Czech Republic

Conference Year

2013

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Share

COinS
 

Noise Pollution in the Workplace

Prague, Czech Republic

Session presented on: Friday, July 26, 2013: An evidence based research project: Noise Pollution in the workplace Purpose: The purpose of this evidence based project is to record and evaluate the noise level in the critical care setting by using a dosimeter to improve health care workers' environment. Background: The effect of noise pollution to patients and healthcare workers has been extensively studied both healthcare and industrial setting. Therefore the PICO question for this particular project is: Does the use of dosimeter as standardized equipment to record and evaluate the noise level in an acute critical care setting will improve the working conditions of the health care workers? Interventions: This project utilized evidence based practice to support changes by making use of the best evidence. Thirty staff nurses in the critical care unit in New Jersey who are involved in the recording, analyzing and evaluating the noise level participated in this evidence based research project. Staff Self Report Questionaires was used before and after incorporating dosimeter to examine the effectiveness of noise level detector in improving the workplace condition of the healthcare workers. Outcomes: The paired sample t test revealed that there is a significant improvement in the healthcare workers' working environment using dosimeter as a means to record the noise level. The result of the analysis for all outcomes measures indicated that there were significant differences between noise level monitored and noise level not monitored. This means that using noise level monitor is effective in improving the working condition of the healthcare workers, enhance critical thinking, reduce stress and promote a healthy work environment. Implications/Recommendation: Increased staff satisfaction with noise level kept at minimum level, promotes staff retention, prevents hearing loss. Further research needs to examine wethere using dosimeter as a standardized equipment in critical care setting reduce the incidence of medication error, work place violence and staff burnout.