Hospital Renovation Noise Endangers Patients in Finnish Ward

Construction noise at a Finnish hospital may threaten patient safety and staff wellbeing. Renovation work at Tyks Mäntymäki Hospital creates constant loud noise from facade repairs. Nurses report they cannot hear critical alarms for dementia bracelets and emergency calls. Staff cannot communicate properly with each other or patients. Doctors struggle to hold meetings due to the noise levels. The building houses geriatric internal medicine, memory wards, emergency departments, and acute cardiac care. Multiple safety incident reports have been filed about noise-related risks. In one case, nurses missed a dementia patient's bracelet alarm as they attempted to leave through an external door. Some patients cry and ask why they're being tortured with loud noise. Memory-impaired patients may not understand why they hear ear-splitting sounds. The hospital services director learned about the situation last Friday. Officials are now investigating whether to move patients to temporary facilities. The building is owned by Swedish property investment company Hemsö, with Varha as the tenant. This situation raises serious questions about how major renovations are planned in active healthcare facilities. Patient safety should never be compromised for construction schedules.