REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF NOISE POLLUTION ON NURSES HEALTH IN PALESTINE MEDICAL COMPLEX IN RAMALLAH CITY-PALESTINE ( AN INTERVENTION STUDY)

Abstract

The current study was conducted in Palestine Medical Complex (PMC) located in Ramallah and al Bireh governorate in the West Bank and included a total of 180 nurses working in different selected departments at PMC. The departments included in the study were the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Cardiac Care Unit (CCU), Cardiology and Catheterization, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Operation, and Kidney department which is located in a separated building near to Ramallah Sons Wing. Emergency and Orthopedic departments were taken from Emergency Wing and the departments of Critical Care Unit (CCU) and Specialized Surgeries were taken from Cardiac and Specialized Surgeries Wing. In addition to Emergency Room (ER), Neonatal ICU, Pediatric ICU, and Internal Medicine departments from the Pediatric Wing. The study aimed to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of nurses towards noise pollution and to determine the relationship between socio-demographic variables of nurses and their level of knowledge, attitudes and practices. Also it aimed to determine the sources of noise in different departments, noise complains as perceived by nurses and to assess noise levels nurses exposed to during their work and the association of these noise levels with nurses' health outcomes. In addition to explore key persons knowledge and understanding towards noise problem. This helped to recognize the nature of the problem and the magnitude of it and then doing the suitable intervention.