SPECIAL REPORT: REDUCING NOISE POLLUTION IN THE OPERATING ROOM
Noise Pollution in the Operating Room and How to Avoid It Medela AG While hospitals take risk control seriously, there is one area they are overlooking. As numerous studies now show, noise pollution should be seen as a serious safety issue. “Unnecessary noise is the cruellest absence of care which can be inflicted either on sick or on well.” So said Florence Nightingale in 1859 and, more than a century and a half later, it still holds true. Noise levels are getting worse and they are causing stress, anxiety and might lead to mistakes. Nowhere are these impacts being felt more directly than in the operating theatre where noise levels can exceed 100 decibelsi.
The Impact of Noise Technology has transformed the operating room (OR). Although it has made operations safer, it has also greatly increased noise levels. Today, surgical staff are routinely exposed to levels of noise that far exceed officially recommended limits. Studies find that noise pollution within the operating theatre can reach peaks of 130dBaii. Recommended noise levels within hospitals should be 45dBa or less which means staff are regularly exposed to harmful levels of noiseiii. While hospitals have made great strides with other areas of risk, such as infection control, this remains relatively overlooked. Even so, the impact can be profound, as various studies have found. A literature review from 2016 identifies a number of key problems caused by noise, includingiv: • Noise in the OR can lead to permanent psychological stress in staff. • Distractions (e.g. background noise) have a negative impact on communication within the operating room among staff. • All this noise also contributes to surgical errors and poor patient outcomes. An alarming 83% of healthcare staff say they believe noise pollution contributes to surgical error. • 80% felt that noise harmed communication and 77% believed it harmed concentration. Problems can also be caused by the type of noise pollution. A study from Carlos Rogero Degrandi Oliveira and Gilberto Walter Nogueira found that an unexpected noise or some noise coming from an unknown source could cause various reactions. “In temporary exposure,” states the report, “the body returns to normal, corresponding to the primary reaction. If the noise
source is maintained or alternated persistent changes may occurv.” Aside from the human toll and the impact on patient health, surgical errors have a very real financial implication. They are likely to lead to longer stays in hospital. According to a study into surgical site infections and their link to noise pollution by Dholakia et al, the additional costs to patients is £243vi (in UK) and can also lead to compensation claims from patients or their families who have suffered the consequences of a surgical error.
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Reducing Noise Pollution Addressing this problem, therefore, should be seen as an important priority by hospitals. Noise reduction programs have the potential to reduce extra costs for e.g. postoperational surgeries significantly. They would minimise errors, lead to shorter hospital stays and improve the wellbeing of staff. They can improve the quality of care being given while simultaneously reducing the strain on healthcare budgets. This is, then, an issue. Hospitals have a duty to protect their patients and safeguard the health and wellbeing of staff. At the same time, budgets are stretched and they need to minimise spend on additional hospital care. Tackling noise pollution should therefore be seen as a high priority issue. This starts by identifying where the noise is coming from.
Source of Noise Pollution According to the Oliveira study, the biggest source of noise pollution comes from medical devices such as monitors, anesthesia machines, ventilators, air conditioners, conversations and WWW.HOSPITALREPORTS.EU | 3
