When approached by four nursing students asking for permission to use Elequil aromatabs® for their capstone project to fulfill their Bachelor of Science Nursing degree (BSN) at The College St. Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey, I absolutely agreed to support their study, which was focused on the outcome of reducing stress in nurses with the use of aromatherapy.
Studying stress in nurses during the height of a pandemic
The planning stages of their capstone project started before the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States in March, however the study itself involving participants was conducted in April when COVID-19 was at its peak in New Jersey.
The students could not predict during the planning stages of their capstone project that their focused topic would be so relevant and timely, and offer a solution for the overwhelmed staff dealing with the COVID-19 crisis.
Jessica Spencer, BSN, RN, Anaelisa Ramirez, BSN, RN, Karen Landaverde BSN, RN, and Melissa Collado BSN, RN, were the students conducting the project. They concluded a statistically significant difference was demonstrated on how nursing staff perceived work-related stress at work in a typical week before and after the aromatherapy intervention.
Methodology:
As often used in Evidence-Based Practice, the PICOT question method helped them formalize their objective for the study.
P: Nurses working in patient care units
I: Aromatherapy agent (Lavender aromatab)
C: When compared to nurses that do not utilize aromatherapy agents while working in patient care units
O: Decrease in personal stress symptoms
T: Period of three workdays
The students running the study determined that they would recruit nurses in Labor & Delivery and Med-Surg Telemetry Unit to participate in a 3-day consecutive study. Each participant filled out a survey every four hours over the 3 days to monitor their stress level under the following guidelines:
Day 1 - No aromatherapy was used
Day 2 - Participants used Elequil aromatabs pulled a minimum (MIN) scent level
DAY 3 - Participants used Elequil aromatabs pulled at maximum (MAX) scent level.
Study results
The nursing students drew the following conclusions from the results of their study:
- Without aromatherapy, 80% of nurses reported feeling mild to moderate-high levels of stress while 20% felt no stress.
- The percentage of nurses feeling moderate-high levels of workplace stress decreased from 17% to 3% with the use of Elequil® lavender aromatherapy pulled at maximum aroma level.
- There was an overall 10% increase in those feeling no stress throughout their work day with the use of Elequil lavender aromatherapy at maximum aroma level.
- There was a statistically significant difference demonstrated in how nursing staff perceive stress at work when using Elequil.
Jessica Spencer, one of the four nursing students conducting this study, that is looking to go into Virtual Nurse Education commented, “I would hope that our findings one day show the importance of wellness in the nursing profession.”
Read the entire white paper based on their findings.
Selecting an Aromatherapy Product for a Study within the Clinical Setting
Whether a medical professional has intent to publish a clinical study, conduct a pilot study for a poster presentation, or a student is working on a capstone project – if the purpose is to include aromatherapy, the product used can help support the credibility of the study.
Using bottled essential oils for a study can be inconsistent in the number of drops used during the study and it may not be easily repeatable by each staff member.
Elequil aromatabs® unique delivery system allows for consistent and controlled amount of 100% pure essential oils.
It is easy to train staff on how to use Elequil aromatabs and it is repeatable. The aromatabs adhere to a patient gown or clothing and can be pulled at a minimum (MIN) or maximum (MAX) aroma exposure.
Placebos are also available when requested to conduct a blind study to help support the evidence-based project.
To help support studies, protocol templates and patient surveys are available for use or guidance during the planning stages of a healthcare study. A 5-minute educational video with assessment quiz makes it easy to train staff.
Clinical Studies Using Elequil aromatabs®:
While there are clinical studies underway, two clinical studies were published independent of Beekley Medical®.
A Randomized Controlled Trial Provides Evidence to Support Aromatherapy to Minimize Anxiety in Women Undergoing Breast Biopsy conducted at Morristown Medical Center, an ANCC Magnet Hospital, in Morristown, New Jersey, proved a statistically significant reduction of self-reported anxiety using Elequil aromatabs® Lavender-Sandalwood compared to a placebo group.
The Efficacy of Lavender Aromatherapy in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety in Ambulatory Surgery Patients Undergoing Procedures in General Otolaryngology conducted at New York-Presbyterian / Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City, showed that using Elequil aromatabs® lavender reduced pre-operative anxiousness in ambulatory surgery patients.
About Elequil aromatabs®
Elequil aromatabs is used in numerous departments around the country and have seen positive results.
- Lavender-Peppermint to promote relaxation during pain, calm anxiousness, and soothe queasiness
- Lavender and Lavender Sandalwood promote relaxation, comfort, and sleep
- Orange-Peppermint to uplift, energize, and help soothe queasiness
Email info@elequil.com to learn more, or to request product for a clinical study, poster presentation, capstone project within the healthcare setting, or a trial evaluation of Elequil aromatabs for your facility.
