PURPOSE: To identify the effects of the aromatherapy on stress of nurses working in operating room. METHODS: The study design was nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design. The subjects were 45 nurses working in the operating room. Experimental group were 24 nurses in G Hospital and control group were 21 nurses in U Hospital. All of the subjects were measured of the subjective stress, stress responses and the job stress. For aromatherapy, lavender, bergamot, and ylang were mixed in the ratio of 2:2:1. RESULTS: 1) "The subjective stress of experimental group is lower than that of the control group" was supported(t=-2.70, p=.01). 2) "The stress responses of experimental group is lower than that of the control group" was supported(t=-2.49, p=.01). 3) "The job stress of experimental group is lower than that of the control group" was supported(t=-7.97, p=.00). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that such aroma inhalation method could be effective on stress of nurses working in operating room.
Aromatherapy* ; Inhalation ; Lavandula ; Operating Rooms*

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of aroma inhalation on fatigue and quality of sleep of postpartum mothers. METHOD: The study design was a non-equivalent control group pre-post design. 51 Postpartum mothers were assigned either to a control group or to an experimental group that was exposed to aromas through inhalation for 6 days. Subjects in the experimental group were instructed to wear a necklace filled with Lavender and Eucalyptus oil from 2: 00 PM to 8: 00 PM every day. Fatigue was measured using the Rhoten Fatigue Scale. Sleep duration, night arousal frequency and sleep satisfaction were used to assess the quality of sleep. RESULT: There was a significant difference in the score of fatigue following the treatment between the experimental and control groups (t=-2.79 p=.00). However, there was no significant difference in sleep duration, frequency of night arousal and sleep satisfaction following aroma inhalation between two groups. CONCLUSION: This intervention appears to be effective in reducing the fatigue in postpartum mothers.
Arousal ; Eucalyptus ; Fatigue* ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Lavandula ; Mothers* ; Postpartum Period*

PURPOSE: This quasi-experimental study was to explore the effects of back massage with Lavender essence oil on the stress response of the ICU nurses. METHOD: Twenty nurses were selected as an experimental group and twenty nurses were in the control group. Lavender essence oil mixed with Jojova carrier oil was used to massage the neck, shoulder, back, and low back. Massage was done three times a week for 20 minutes for 2 weeks by the massage therapist. The stress response was measured with a subjective stress score, Cortisol and IgA level in saliva. The cortisol level in saliva was analyzed by an radioimmunoassay before and after back massage. The level of IgA in saliva was analyzed by an immunoturbidimeter assay and subjective stress scores was measured by Visual Analogue Scale. The data was analyzed using SPSS 8.0 and the hypotheses were tested by ANCOVA and the Pearson coefficient correlation. RESULT: 1) Score of subjective stress decreased significantly after the use of back massage with Lavender essence oil. 2) Level of Cortisol in saliva did not change significantly after the use of back massage with Lavender essence oil. 3) Level of IgA in saliva increased significantly after the use of back massage with Lavender essence oil. 4) After the use of back massage with Lavender essence oil, there was significant negative correlation between subjective stress and level of IgA in saliva. CONCLUSION: Back massage with Lavender essence oil is an effective intervention to reduce the stress response in the ICU nurses.
Hydrocortisone ; Immunoglobulin A ; Lavandula* ; Massage* ; Neck ; Radioimmunoassay ; Saliva ; Shoulder

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of aroma inhalation on nursing students' stress responses and anxiety before their first clinical practice. METHOD: Data were collected during the period from March 5 to March 10, 2007 at K College in a province. There were seventy eight subjects, 35 for the experimental group and 38 for the control group. Aroma oils used were lavender, peppermint and rosemary. Before and after the treatment, the severity of stress and anxiety were evaluated by VAS and a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test and chi2-test with the SPSS program. RESULT: The score of subjective stress (VAS) decreased significantly after aroma inhalation (p=.000), but status anxiety was not significantly different between the two groups (p=.649). CONCLUSION: Aroma inhalation can be a useful intervention to reduce nursing student's stress before their first clinical practice.
Anxiety* ; Aromatherapy ; Inhalation* ; Lavandula ; Mentha piperita ; Nursing* ; Oils ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aromatherapy on the level of anxiety and fatigue in student nurses who were undergoing their first clinical practice. METHOD: A non-equivalent, control group, pretest-posttest design was used. A convenience sample of 42 student nurses were selected. They were assigned to experimental and control groups. The aromatherapy using lavender, geranium and camomile was given to the experimental group for four consecutive days while the control group only rested. RESULT: 1.Anxiety scores for the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th days of clinical practice. 2. Fatigue scores for the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th day of clinical practice. CONCLUSION: The results support the conclusion that aromatherapy using selected essential oils is an effective intervention for relieving anxiety and fatigue in student nurses experiencing their first clinical practice. However differences between aromatherapy and massage were not clear. Further investigation needs to be done.
Anxiety* ; Aromatherapy* ; Chamomile ; Fatigue* ; Geranium ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Oils, Volatile

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of aromatherapy on agitation in patients with dementia using a meta-analysis and systemic literature review. METHODS: The EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and other databases were searched up to November 2017. RESULTS: Of 419 publications identified, 12 met inclusion criteria, and 9 studies were used to estimate the effect size of aromatherapy. A total of 837 participants across all studies were included. The commonly applied methods were massage (50%), type of oil lavender (75%), and instrument Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory (75%). A medium effect size of aromatherapy on agitation was identified (d=−0.56, I2=65.0%, p=.001). The massage group has lower effect size than the other group (d=−0.98, I2=0.0%, p=.001). CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy appears to be effective in improving agitation in patients with dementia. However, further studies for home-dwelling patients with dementia and with different types of aroma oil should be conducted in the future. In addition, research with well-designed are needed to assess the effects or aromatherapy on agitation.
Aromatherapy ; Dementia ; Dihydroergotamine ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Psychomotor Agitation

BACKGROUND: Although olfactory stimulation has been known to produce effects on human mood and cognition, the specific EEG patterns of activity was reported diversely. The purpose of this study was to investigate EEG changes by odorant using low resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) in young healthy subjects. METHODS: The EEG's of nineteen (10 males, 9 females) non-smoking right-handed college students were recorded after odorant stimulation. A nineteen-channel EEG was recorded referenced to linked ears before and during olfactory stimulation. Olfactory stimulation was presented with lavender essential oil by blotter method. The LORETA power was computed from ten 2-s epochs, separately for the different EEG frequencies. The power values were logarithmically transformed and paired sample t-tests were done for each voxel and frequency band (1.5-30 Hz). Statistical results were displayed 3-dimensionally on the standard brain template. RESULTS: All subjects experienced positive feelings (relaxed and pleasant) by olfactory stimulation with lavender oil (p<0.01). The LORETA power of theta and alpha band was increased in the dorsolateral and medial frontal areas, predominantly in the posterior cingulate gyri. The alpha LORETA power was also increased in bilateral orbitofrontal regions and the left perisylvian region including the insular cortex. Beta power was increased in the posterior cingulated gyri and mesial temporal region, predominantly on the left side. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that olfaction associated with emotional feeling might induce brain electrical power changes not only in the limbic system but also in the neocortex with lateralization to the dominant hemisphere.
Brain ; Cognition ; Ear ; Electroencephalography ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Limbic System ; Magnets ; Male ; Neocortex ; Odors* ; Smell

PURPOSE: This study was an experimental study to compare the inhalation effects of aroma essential oil on the quality of sleep (QOS) for shift nurses after working nights. METHODS: The participants were 60 healthy adults who didn't have any disease. As an experimental treatment, the participants in the experimental group were asked to inhale essential oil for 3 minutes at a distance of approximately 10 cm fromt heir nose and then they were asked to sleep with the aroma stone beside their head (within a 30 cm distance). QOS were measured four times on Pretest, Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 after they slept. To measure QOS, Perceived QOS (Numeric Rating Scale), the Verran & Synder-Halpern (VSH) Sleep Scale were used, and number of awakenings (NoA) was measured by Actigraph. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in the homogeneity tests for general characteristics and dependent variables prior to the experiments, except for VSH of subjective sleep quality. Also, there was no significant interaction between group and time. The VSH of the experimental group was higher than the control group (F=6.39, p=.002). The NoA between the experimental group and the control group was significantly different after experimental treatment 3rd day (F=13.35, p=.001). CONCLUSION: The findings show that the inhalation of aroma essential oil had effects to increase the quality of sleep. Therefore, the inhalation of aroma essential oil could be applied to general nursing interventions to improve the quality of sleep.
Adult ; Aromatherapy ; Head ; Humans ; Inhalation* ; Lavandula ; Nose ; Nursing ; Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the spouse's aromatherapy massage on labor pain, anxiety during labor and childbirth satisfaction for laboring women. METHODS: The subjects of this study were laboring women who didn't have any complication during pregnancy and who have admitted for childbirth with their spouse to E. hospital in D city. This study was carried out from June to November in 2007. The subjects were allocated into three groups: spouse's aromatherapy massage group, spouse's carrier oil massage group and control group. Aromatherapy massage and carrier oil massage was applied for ten minutes every hour after the cervix dilated 5cm. The subjects in the control group were with their spouse during labor. RESULTS: The labor pain by VAS was significantly different among the three groups (Kruskal-Wallis chi2=7.09 p=.029) in the deceleration phase. The anxiety during labor by VAS were significantly different among the three groups (Kruskal-Wallis chi2=6.77 p=.034) in the deceleration phase. There was no significant difference in childbirth satisfaction among the three groups. CONCLUSION: The spouse's aromatherapy massage using Lavender, Clary sage, Frankincense and Neroli could be effective in decreasing labor pain and decreasing anxiety level during labor.
Anxiety ; Aromatherapy ; Boswellia ; Cervix Uteri ; Deceleration ; Female ; Humans ; Labor Pain ; Lavandula ; Massage ; Parturition ; Pregnancy ; Spouses

PURPOSE: The purpose was to test the effects of self-hand massage with aroma oil on daily cigarette use, smoking craving, and depression of female high school student smokers who are attempting to quit smoking. METHOD: A convenience sampling of a non-equivalent control group time series was used. Female high school student smokers were assigned either to smoking cessation lecture only or to an intervention that involved a smoking cessation lecture and self-hand massage with aroma oil for 4 weeks. Lavender, Peppermint, and Bergamotte essence oils were used for massage. RESULT: There was a significant change in daily cigarette use and depression between the groups at three different times. CONCLUSION: It is promising that self-hand massage with aroma oil can be an effective adjunctive to decrease daily cigarette use and depression of female high school student smokers who are attempting to quit smoking.
Depression* ; Female* ; Humans ; Lavandula ; Massage* ; Mentha piperita ; Oils ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation ; Smoking* ; Tobacco Products*