The Impact of Soundscapes on Healthcare Teams: A Literature Review

Healthcare teams often work in complex systems where soundscapes include numerous noise sources and levels which could impact teamwork. While studies have analyzed the impact of sound on patients, articles describing clinician and clinical team experience are relatively sparse. The purpose of this literature review was to determine what is currently known about soundscapes and their impact on teamwork and team performance in hospital-based healthcare settings. Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. The Input-Process-Output framework and SEIPS 2.0 model guided our review and categorization of the included studies. The work environments studied included the operating room (OR), perioperative area, and a simulation. Noise input was grouped by existing noise, music or controlled sound conditions, and communication wearables during clinical or simulated tasks. Nine of the 11 articles studied the impact sound environment on team communication and three articles measured other team processes. The findings from this review assessed both existing and experimental noise conditions discovering associations with team performance processes and outcomes. Overall, previous studies have found that noise can impact individuals and elements of teamwork, especially communication. Future research is needed to develop best practices and innovative solutions supporting a positive soundscape for teamwork.