Use of aromatherapy to promote a therapeutic nurse environment

BackgroundWorkplace stress can affect nurse satisfaction. Aroma therapy as a therapeutic use of essential oil can be beneficial in reducing stress.PurposeAssess perceived stress pre-post introduction of Essential Oil Lavender among registered nurses, charge nurses, and patient care technicians in a trauma intensive care unit, surgical specialty care unit and an orthopedic trauma unit.MethodsPre-post intervention with a quasi-experimental design. After a pre-survey, Essential Oil Lavender was diffused 24 h per day over 30 days in a designated nursing area that all nurses were not required to enter on each unit.ResultsDependent sample t-test for “how often do nurses feel stressed a work in a typical week” revealed pre-survey mean 2.97 (SD = 0.99) which was significantly higher than post-survey mean 2.70 (SD = 0.92) with significance, t(69) = 2.36, p = 0.021, suggesting a difference in how often staff felt stressed at work in a typical week, trending down from “feeling stressed half of time” to “once in a while”. There were no statistically significant differences in pre-post survey scores for TICU, TOU, or SSC as separate units.RelevanceUse of essential oils to decrease work-related stress among nursing staff may improve retention, workplace environment, and increase nurse satisfaction.     

耳穴按压配合芳香疗法对大肠癌手术患者焦虑和生活质量的影响

目的 评价耳穴按压配合芳香疗法对大肠癌手术患者焦虑和生活质量的影响.方法 将135例大肠癌手术患者随机分为A组(耳穴按压配合芳香疗法)33例、B组(耳穴按压)33例、C组(芳香疗法)34例、D组(空白组)35例,采用焦虑自评量表(SAS)、大肠癌生活质量测定量表(QLICP-CR)对4组干预前后的焦虑和生活质量水平进行测试并比较不同方法的效果.结果 A、B、C组干预前后SAS与QLICP-CR总分比较差异均有统计学意义;A、B、C组干预后的SAS和QLICP-CR总分与D组比较差异均有统计学意义;A组干预后SAS和QLICP-CR总分与B、C组比较,比较差异均有统计学意义;C组干预后SAS和QLICP-CR总分与B组比较差异无统计学意义.结论 耳穴按压配合芳香疗法能有效减轻大肠癌手术患者的焦虑和提高生活质量,且效果优于耳穴按压和芳香疗法.     

欧洲赤松精油与经络理论的结合运用

本文根据《内经》的经络理论及熨法概念,探讨在外治法中,将腧穴配合欧洲赤松精油等各种精油的芳香疗法,在临床运用中可能发挥的作用、特性及效果.     

Nurses experience of aromatherapy use with dementia patients experiencing disturbed sleep patterns. An action research project

The purpose of this study was to gain an insight into nurses' experiences of incorporating aromatherapy into the care of residents suffering from dementia, anxiety and disturbed sleep patterns. Twenty-four residents and twelve nurses from four nursing homes participated in an action research study. The use of lavender augustofolia essential oil diffused nightly was perceived as an effective care modality reducing insomnia and anxiety in this patient cohort. Nurses experienced some negative attitudes among colleagues because they considered aromatherapy as not evidence based. Nurses require greater access to evidence based use of Aromatherapy. Further research is needed to study how smell can enhance dementia care.     

Applying a quality use of medicines framework to using essential oils in nursing practice

Nurses are increasingly incorporating complementary therapies into their practices. Aromatherapy is one of the most popular therapies. The basis of aromatherapy is essential oils, which are chemically active substances with a long history of safe traditional use and a growing evidence base to support their use in nursing care. In Australia, essential oils are classified and regulated under the same policies as conventional medicines such as the National Medicines Policy and the Quality Use of Medicines (QUM) framework applies. QUM is a framework for selecting and using medicines safely and effectively if medicines are indicated. The key elements of QUM are a systems-based approach to using medicines based on relevant evidence, partnerships, and informed client consent. Clients are placed at the centre of a QUM medication management process, which is consistent with holistic care. Applying a QUM approach to essential oil use, Quality Use of Essential Oils (QUEO), involves developing effective systems for managing essential oils from an holistic perspective that includes structured assessment and diagnostic processes to enable effective essential oil prescribing and outcome monitoring. In a QUEO approach, essential oils are integrated into the client's overall medication regimen and care plan rather than being used as 'add-ons'. Adopting QUEO is consistent with the current national focus on the quality use of therapeutic substances, increases the profile of aromatherapy in nursing care and provides important information to guide future aromatherapy practices.     

Dwelling with Alison: a reflection on expertise

Reflection is always purposeful toward realising expert practice. Yet how might expertise be recognised? Using a narrative approach, Benner, Tanner and Chesta (Expertise in nursing practice. Springer Publishing, New York, 1996) explicated a model of expertise that offers the practitioner a useful framework to reflect on their expertise which I do using my own narrative of dwelling with Alison, given that expert practice must be the concern of every practitioner.