Acoustic Shock

Published Jan 30, 2021

46 Posts

Specializes in CICU, NICU, Advice Nursing.

Hello everyone!

I was hired as a Triage/Advice Nurse in Feb of last year and suffered an acoustic incident on the job in May. I worked in a small call center environment, and the positions have been moved to remote due to COVID after my injury. I was exposed to extremely loud noise via headset. It was so loud a nurse 2 cubicles over (spaced out due to COVID) could hear it. As a result of the acoustic incident I now have disabling acoustic trauma, pain hyperacusis, permanent tinnitus and have developed trigeminal neuralgia. Worker's comp, all the fun... I've worked all kinds of light duty across the hospital system and that has been pretty interesting. Anyway...

I am on baclofen and nortriptyline. I am unable to have prolonged conversations, I'm sensitive to sounds most people consider normal. As COVID restrictions ease, I won't be able to enjoy going to restaurants, movies, concerts, busy streets, etc. My quality of life has been greatly diminished. I can't do the dishes, husband opens wrap packages while I wait in another room, the fridge is an enemy now, etc. I have noise cancellation devices and they help, but they don't keep me numbness or pain free, just ease my symptoms.

Per management I was the only person they've seen suffering with this issue, but research shows otherwise. There was no education about acoustic shock or trauma during orientation or at any other time. I asked my employer to investigate how this happened and they haven't taken ownership of this.

Does your department offer any education about acoustic shock or how to protect your ears? If you have examples you can share I would love to see them. This is a real risk for staff who are on the phones for hours and I would like to see what is your department doing to advocate for you. I think ear protection should be a a part of triage/advice employee education.

My department will return back to the office after COVID restrictions ease.

I have found a number of sources touching on acoustic shock and since I am not posting articles I will just post titles and you can Google at your own convenience.

"Reducing Noise Hazards for Call and Dispatch Center Operators" NIOSH (attached as PDF)
"Demographic Patterns of Acoustic Shock Syndrome as Seen in a Large Call Centre" (attached as PDF)

Also search:

"ACOUSTIC SHOCK AND HEARING DAMAGE WITH CALL CENTRE AGENTS" poly blog (previously Plantronics)
"Acoustic Shock" by hear-it.org

NIOSH - Reducing Noise Hazards for Call and Dispatch Center Operators.pdf

demographic-patterns-of-acoustic-shock-syndrome-as-seen-in-a-large-call-centre-2329-6879-1000212.pdf