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O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | J U LY 2 0 1 5
Friendly reminders
Dr. Ritchie's findings sparked our interest in raising awareness of the
issue and getting everyone to understand that each member of the sur-
gical team has different perceptions of noise volumes at various times
of the case. For example, nurses care very much about noise levels
when they're performing final counts to ensure no objects have been
left behind. The same goes for anesthesia providers during induction
and emergence. That makes sense. You're likely sensitive to noise dis-
tractions when you're trying to focus on your own responsibilities.
Establishing agreed-upon quiet times during the critical points of cases
ensures everyone has the quiet they need when they need it most. Our
efforts to turn down the volume at the front line include these creative
solutions:
• Quiet badges. Each staff member carries a yellow "quiet" badge,
which attaches to pull strings on our ID badges. When noise levels
mount during critical phases of surgery, staff members are encour-
aged to lift the badge to remind their colleagues about our noise-
reduction policy. Everyone knows and respects the badges, and
we've found that they help empower staff to speak up against noise
distractions.
• Yacker Trackers. These stoplight noise sensors let you adjust the
lights to blink at various decibel levels. (You can purchase the
devices at teaching supply stores.) The green light means noise lev-
els are low; the yellow light means levels are rising but still accept-
able; and the red light indicates noise has reached distracting levels.
We placed the trackers at the surgery department's front desk and in
pre-op, because that's where noise levels seem to escalate the most.
• Posters. We've hung "Quiet Time" and "Zone of Silence" reminders
in pre-op and in ORs to serve as constant reminders for staff to man-
S A F E T Y