الفهرس 
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Abstract
Introduction: Noise exposure has been known to affect the health negatively. Noise in hospitals affects the health care professionals as well as the patients. Knowledge about noise issue is limited among health care providers.
Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of nurses towards noise and determine the association between their KAP and certain socio demographic factors. To assess noise levels nurses exposed to during their work and to investigate the correlation between noise level and participants’ blood pressure and heart rate and its’ association with participants’ complaints. To increase nurses’ awareness towards noise issue through educational sessions.
Methods: The study consisted of two parts; the first part is a descriptive cross sectional study and the second one is an intervention program and evaluation of the intervention program. A total of 180 nurses working in different selected departments at Palestine Medical Complex (PMC) were subjected to interviewing questionnaire. An integrating sound level meter was used to measure noise levels in different departments. Measurements of blood pressure and heart rate were done and structured interview was conducted with PMC managers and nursing supervisors. Educational intervention and then post intervention interviewing questionnaire were conducted.
Results: The findings showed that nurses’ knowledge about noise was limited and poor with no statistical significant differences between gender, age, highest qualification obtained, total years of experience in the field and the knowledge level. Attitudes were relatively positive with a significant association between gender, qualification and the attitudes level (p=0.013, p=0.025) respectively. Nurses’ practices towards noise were so poor and Statistically significant differences were revealed between different age groups, qualification and practices level (p=0.006, p=0.021) respectively. Noise levels in all departments exceeded what is recommended by WHO and the average LAeq in all departments was 64.48 dBA. No significant correlations appeared between noise levels and blood pressure, heart rates of the participants after six hours of working. All managers and supervisors interviewed perceived noise problem as a real risk that should be managed and paid attention by the policy makers in Ministry of Health (MOH). After the educational intervention, many participants had a good knowledge level regarding noise. The majority of them had positive attitudes but the practices level towards noise for most of them remained poor but it was better than before intervention.
Conclusion: Noise levels in the different selected departments were more than the recommended levels. Poor knowledge and practices, adequate attitudes were detected among the study subjects before the educational intervention. The participants’ knowledge, attitudes and practices scores towards noise have improved after the intervention. Educational intervention for nurses and the whole health staff is essential to increase awareness and knowledge about noise issue and ways to reduce it. Modifiable noise sources should be dealt with to reduce noise levels in health institutions.