I know it won't stop, but....am shift is so loud

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in LPN.

I work night shift, and I like that shift. However, when we come on there seems to always be a party going on on pm shift. It's so noisy, I can't hardly hear report. It is a big relief when they leave and the noise stops.

We shut off/or turn down the tvs and radios, and just let people sleep. We are kind of glad that pm shift doesn't get it, that people like quiet to sleep, that way they don't sleep on pm shift, but will on our shift.

But in comes am shift, and it's even louder than pm shift, and everyone wakes up with a bang. Then am shift is upset that everyone is all up at once wanting attention. I think they acutally think we do it to them on purpose. Don't they get it either? But they the staff, cnas, nurses and other ancillary people are so loud - again, can't hear report, can't find my stuff, because am cnas are sitting on the desks.

I am so frustrated, I just want to do a good job, and respect the pts that are sitting there-having to listen to it all as well.

Am I the only frustrated one?

1 Votes
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

Ummm...no. Our floor is loud and pt's have complained. Some staff act like it's their second home and talk loud and inappropriately at times. Management is taking notice and coming down on them.

It gets so loud that I can't even hear the other person on the phone!

Let me know if you ever find a solution.

Specializes in ER.

I work in the ER, so it's a little different there, but I did have a patient request a bed away from the nursing station when she was being admitted, and I asked why. She said,"The last time I was admitted, it was 3 AM and the nurses were SO loud! So i called my nurse in there and asked her if they could keep it down, I was trying to sleep, and her reply was 'Oh, honey, this is our daytime!' and left."

:-/ Sorry patients have to put a damper on your "daytime" at work!

I know it's a little off subject, but that conversation will always stick with me when working nights.

1 Votes

so true, so true. Night shift is so peaceful, so quiet...I kind of like it, but hate the trying to stay awake part.

Some voices just carry!!, I too am a loud talker... And when I notice it I really do become embarrassed. I think I maybe partially deaf. But I am working on it. My dear friends always give me gentle reminders to pipe it down..

I had a patient complain about how loud night shift nurses were the morning I discharged her. This was also the shift I discovered that one of the loud nurses was telling patients to hit "reset" on their IV pumps when they beeped so she wouldn't have to go in to their room every time it beeped :-O

Maybe you can get one of those light boxes that lights up when the noise it too loud. Maybe people just aren't aware of how loud they are.

I have only worked night shift and have done this for the last three years. I have definitely noticed the closer it gets to the shift change the louder it seems to get. I think it is just so much quieter on nice that when doctors, more staff and family start showing up the volume is bound to increase. Some hospitals have put what they call " yacker trackers" in the hall which will actually signal the level of noise in the halls and works kind of like a stop light. Green= level is good, yellow= level is increasing and staff needs to be aware and red= everyone needs to decrease their level of volume. I think this is a great way to keep everyone aware of their decibel level.

Specializes in Peds,Corrections, Dialysis, LTC.
Some voices just carry!!, I too am a loud talker... And when I notice it I really do become embarrassed. I think I maybe partially deaf. But I am working on it. My dear friends always give me gentle reminders to pipe it down..

I am the same way! My children have reminded me on many occasion to use my indoor voice! :o

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I have only worked night shift and have done this for the last three years. I have definitely noticed the closer it gets to the shift change the louder it seems to get. I think it is just so much quieter on nice that when doctors, more staff and family start showing up the volume is bound to increase. Some hospitals have put what they call " yacker trackers" in the hall which will actually signal the level of noise in the halls and works kind of like a stop light. Green= level is good, yellow= level is increasing and staff needs to be aware and red= everyone needs to decrease their level of volume. I think this is a great way to keep everyone aware of their decibel level.

We had one in our old facility and it was so loud. It had this piercing squeal when it went off. It looked like a stop light.

There is talk about white noise. I hope it helps, but people just need to turn it down. It's such a no brainer, isn't it?:mad:

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