The effectiveness of nurse-delivered aromatherapy in an acute care setting.

Objective: To examine the use and effectiveness of essential oil therapeutic interventions on pain, nausea, and anxiety, when provided by nurses to patients in acute hospital settings across a large health system. This study expands upon the limited body of literature on aromatherapy use among inpatients.

Design: Retrospective, effectiveness study using data obtained from electronic health records.

Development of a Health System-Based Nurse-Delivered Aromatherapy Program.

Healthcare systems are increasingly looking to integrate aromatherapy (essential oils) as a safe, low-cost, and nonpharmacologic option for patient care to reduce pain, nausea, and anxiety and to improve sleep. This article describes the development and implementation of a healthcare system-wide program of nurse-delivered essential oil therapeutic interventions to inpatients throughout an acute care setting. In addition, we provide lessons learned for nursing administrators interested in developing similar nurse-delivered aromatherapy programs.

Therapeutic massage and healing touch improve symptoms in cancer.

Complementary therapies are increasingly used to reduce side effects of cancer treatment, without evidence for their effectiveness. In a randomized, prospective, 2-period, crossover intervention study, the authors tested the effects of therapeutic massage (MT) and healing touch (HT), in comparison to presence alone or standard care, in inducing relaxation and reducing symptoms in 230 subjects. MT and HT lowered blood pressure, respiratory rate (RR), and heart rate (HR).

Complementary, integrative, and holistic care in emergency nursing.

Nearly half of all patients who present to the Emergency Department (ED) daily are using some form of complementary, alternative, or integrative medicine (CAIM). Emergency nurses will increasingly encounter clients who use CAIM or want holistic care. The integration of CAIM and holistic nursing principles into current emergency nursing practice can reenergize nursing and give ED nurses additional care methods to use with their clients.