急診環境噪音改善專案

A Project to Reduce Ambient Noise in Emergency Room

維持急診安寧有助於病人照護，「急診病室安寧狀況」調查平均得分僅有3.05分，2011年2月成立噪音改善小組，藉由問卷調查及實際測量，確立急診廣播、醫療儀器警示聲、工作人員喧嘩聲、護理站電話鈴聲、家屬訪客談話聲為前五項噪音源，總平均為79.88分貝。經本小組透過人員教育宣導、製作並張貼警示標語、設備維護保養等多元介入處理噪音問題。急診病患滿意度提升了20%，平均值為3.65分，噪音平均分貝數下降為47.2分貝，超過原訂目標，有效的提升急診病室安寧程度。急診因環境特殊，改善噪音需要克服的困難度較高，但是透過多元介入措施，仍然可以達到一定效果。

Maintaining quietness in emergency room is an integral part of patient care. A satisfactory survey “Noise level in the emergency room” was conducted of the ER patients and their family, and the result indicated a mean score of 3.05 out of 5. A noise-reduction team was assembled in February, 2011 to address the issue. Through survey and on-site measurement, the top-five source of ambient noise were identified: emergency room broadcastings, medical equipment alarms, staff chatter, nursing station telephone rings, and conversations of family and visitors with patients. The average noise level of these five noise sources was measured at 79.88 dB. After the implementation of multicomponent interventions such as staff education, productions and postings of warning signs, and equipment service, the average noise level in the ER was reduced to 47.2 dB, which exceeded the original target and effectively maintained the quietness in the ER, and the ER patient satisfaction increased by 20%, reaching an average of 3.65 out of 5. Due to the unique nature of the ER, the challenge to improve noise level is greater than other hospital wards, and yet the implementation of multicomponent interventions can still achieve a notable result.