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For Immediate Release
November 28, 2006
Mercy Tracks Yackers to Ensure Patients Heal More
Quickly
Oklahoma City — It’s not only one of the
biggest complaints worldwide when it comes to hospitals, but noise—a
common culprit—slows the healing process for hospital patients. And
because noise increases stress and anxiety, Mercy Health Center in
Oklahoma City has found creative ways to reduce noise and increase
“noise awareness” in hospital hallways and waiting rooms.
Mercy and other hospitals such as M.D. Anderson are
using a tool often used in school classrooms. The Yacker Tracker, a
sound meter, looks just like a traffic light and serves as a visual
reminder when noise levels get too high.
“It’s a portable, computerized traffic light that
signals, either flashing yellow or red, when there’s too much noise,”
said Chris Weigel, RN, BSN, MBA, Mercy’s chief nursing officer. “It’s
very common for hallways and waiting rooms to get really loud and just a
few feet away patients are trying to sleep. Sometimes it’s nurses
discussing something that needs to be done and sometimes it’s family
members outside the door trying to make critical decisions. It’s very
easy for people not to realize how loud they may be. What we are doing
with the Yacker Tracker is making people aware and it’s working. Friends
and family members of patients and co-workers are getting the signal.”
Mandy Green, 26, who was recently visiting her
sister at Mercy BirthPlace with her five children, ages 1 to 6, said, “I
always get nervous when I bring all five of my kids to the hospital at
one time because they can get loud very quickly. This stoplight device
kept their attention and reminded them to be quiet at the same time.”
Smaller people had similar ideas about the Yacker
Trackers positioned at various places throughout Mercy. “It made people
be quiet so we could hear the angels sing once April (his aunt) had her
baby,” said 6-year-old Warrick Green, referring to a chime Mercy plays
throughout the hospital whenever a baby is born.
Numerous studies have shown that noise levels in
hospitals commonly reach 113 decibels—the same level as a buzzing
chainsaw. According to a study with Johns Hopkins University acoustical
engineers, since 1960 daytime hospital sound levels around the world
have increased from 57 to 72 decibels and night noise levels have risen
from 42 to 60. The World Health Organization’s 1995 hospital noise
guidelines suggest that sounds levels in patient rooms shouldn’t exceed
35 decibels.
“I’ve been a nurse for almost 30 years and one of
the biggest complaints from patients is that they can’t sleep because
it’s too noisy,” said Weigel. “Studies show that a quiet environment
promotes healing. And while noise is an issue that has long been ignored
by hospitals worldwide, Mercy has made it one of our priorities. The
patient is why we follow the cross to work every day, so why wouldn’t we
try to make our facility quieter if studies have proven that it’s the
best thing for the patient.”
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