Noise level at night

[NoonsRN]

Hello everyone!

I wanted to get some opinions and suggestions about reducing noise levels during the night shift.

What are the main sources of noise for your unit/floor? Was there a program/education put in place to reduce noise levels? Does the staff mix effect your noise level? What did you or your unit do about addressing a loudmouth? How much of the noise level was environmental like doors, carts, pumps, vents, etc?

I am curious to see if you all are having the same issues we are.

Thank you!

[imintrouble, BSN, RN]

This is just me.

Every single biological need I have as a human being, is subjugated to the needs of the pt for 12 hrs while I'm at work. That's part of my job, and part of just being a nurse. I accept that. I've been doing it for a lot of years.

I wait to pee, to eat, to sit, to address my own pain.

When you tell me to shut up or tone it down, because it's best for the patient, it just simply rubs me the wrong way. I'm not talking about shouting, hooting, and hollering. I'm talking about normal conversation on a very small unit at 0300.

What's next? I think we're creating the very monster that all of us despise. The pt who believes that no request/demand/expectation is not their right.

[FlorenceNtheMachine]

I'm soft spoken so the noise police don't get on to me. But the hearing impaired patients hate me!! Haha! It goes against my grain to speak so loudly, but I end up speaking louder in those cases.

I value people's rest and sleep. A good four hours rest can make a world of difference in someone's healing just like medicine can. In my little opinion.

[dirtyhippiegirl, BSN, RN]

I also get frustrated with patient complaints that nursing has no real control over. Count me in as someone else who works at a hospital where they often decide to buff the hallway at 0200. Or do construction 24/7.

Seems like a lot of complaints come from the intrinsic noises that many of our machines make -- not even the (relatively) controllable beeps of IV pumps, tele monitors, and ventilators. Our self-inflating beds are probably the biggest complaint, followed by the SCD machines. I also personally happen to think that our stand-alone continuous pulse ox machine makes a dreadful hum that I wouldn't want to listen to. (And is fairly useless in a non-monitored room at the end of the hall.)

TVs are another issue. Gotta love the quasi-demented, HOH old guy in room 2 who decides to turn on the TV at full blast at 0300 and then spends ten minutes flipping through static/dead channels until someone can go in & re-orient him to the remote. Wakes up the whole unit.

We also have a few naturally loud people on night shift. One is hard of hearing. The other two would be loud in the middle of a funeral -- it's more of a personality quirk. But I'm also the first to ask people to quiet it down at night. At the end of the day, a sleeping patient means less busy work for me, y'know?

[advsmuch08]

Our floor got those Yacker Trackers. The problem is they turn to yellow for other things like the tele beeping or someone sneezing or setting something heavy down on the counter. I haven't seen them turn red yet (on night shift) but someone said the beep it makes is more disruptive than the actual noise. I've heard that these have helped other floors quiet down.

[agardner2020]

Crazy and Cute RN has it right! Not only am I a nurse but I have been a patient. The only time you can rest is at night because the day is so busy with tests and constant interruptions. There is something else that is forgotten... it's the roommate that is on the phone all night or the TV is loud till 3 AM. There is a lack of common courtesy so I would think the Nurse could point it out with a no non-sense tone. I see nothing wrong with walking up to the TV at after hours and turning it off because the roommate is asleep... If anything is said my reply is "your roommate is asleep, sorry". In closing I would say be aware of the noise and your patients need for rest and be assertive with anyone who needs a reminder that there are others on the planet. Nurses need to stop trying to please everyone... and just do what's right.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

Back in the day, the tv's at the hospital I trained at would turn off at 1130 lol

When I was a patient I just had them close the door, but there was one nurse who was totally obnoxious. I finally got out if bed, walked up to her and said , "Hey, Could you keep it down, I think I have heard the same story for 3 nights, so could you either be quieter or find a new story to tell" lol She shut up.

I think a little common courtesy goes a long way.