Noise pollution in Hospitals: Impacts on staff

• Objective: To review the effects of hospital noise on staff. • Methods: Review of the literature. • Results: The authors searched for studies that relate the hospital acoustic environment and staff response. Forty-one papers were selected that focus on hospital staff stress, satisfaction, psychosocial environment, job performance, and health, although not all specifically discuss noise. Although the effects of hospital noise on staff are generally negative, results are sometimes inconclusive. Further, some staff outcomes (eg, psychosocial environment, health) were studied in a very limited number of articles or via small subject sample sizes. • Conclusion: Although the effects of hospital noise on staff are generally negative, interpretations must be made with caution.