Essential Oil Overkill

[Kayauhs]

Our facility is using essential oils like they are the second coming of Jesus. We have no policy and procedure, no regulations, no MSDS, nothing. Some shifts soak the resident's skin, no carrier oils, soak their bedding, clothing and other personal items.

We've got nurses bringing their own supply of essential oils FROM HOME and putting them on the patients!! No where in nursing would that ever be allowed.

It's making the nursing staff sick. According to the FDA, once you put these essential oils on the skin of the patient, it's considered a drug.

What is the answer here? The popularity of essential oils and the unbelievable backlash if you question if they work or not is getting old for me very quickly.

(Just FYI essential oils are completely unregulated and they are a 4 BILLION dollar industry).

Does your facility use essential oils? What's the policy on this?

For What it's Worth: You cannot find ANY essential oils listed in the drug handbook. Think about that.

[K+MgSO4, BSN]

I manage a gastroenterolog / acute geri orthopedic ward which includes the H&M unit. We use eucalyptus oil when we have massive malena or haematemisis episodes. Due to the age of the ward we have 5 x 3 beded rooms which can be a bit unfortunate for the other patients if there is an episode. But we use it as an air deodorizer not rubbed onto the unfortunate person.

It always seems to happen when there is a pre op hip or D0 in the next bed and they can't escape.

[quiltynurse56, LPN, LVN]

I use some oils myself, occasionally. I have a problem with those who espouse with oils you can cure all sorts of things. I definitely don't want them used in a facility for the allergy reasons as stated. I would think they would have to ordered by the PCP for use on the patient.

[djh123]

We only use non-essential oils at my facility. They're cheaper. (And yes, I'm kidding...).

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

This sounds like a new pinnacle in stupidity. Nurses bring stinky garbage in from home at their own expense and dousing their patients in it???? Meds and counseling are called for here & not for the patients.

[kakamegamama]

No no no no no! This reeks (sorry, I couldn't resist) of a bad thing in the making. As one who has very severe allergies, I would not survive. I cannot even begin to imagine what effect this might have on the patients!

[Kayauhs]

Ya, the nurses here that are for the oils have convinced a local doc to write orders to apply these, they put them ON THE CARE PLAN as a "treatment" for things like Alzheimer's!!! (I shake my head) I feel like I'm in the Land of Oz. I'm the only one here that thinks there is something wrong with this.

[Kayauhs]

THANK GOD YOU ARE HERE!! I've been dealing with this ever since I was hired and I truly was beginning to think I was going insane!! My direct supervisor is the main person pushing this stuff and she has made my life a living hell for questioning it. THANK YOU for speaking up!!!

[Kayauhs]

Help me out!!

[Kayauhs]

I love your response!!

[SpankedInPittsburgh, DNP, RN]

Truthfully, it sounds like you work in the land of the lunatic. You have leadership on board with this mystical nonsense and even a doc writing orders for it. You could report all this stuff to regulatory agencies involved after documenting your objections and exhausting your internal chain of command about the use of these stinky cure-alls. However, being the only sane person in the room will make you a pariah. We used to have a saying in the Army "is this the hill you want to die on?" This being the case you may choose to suck it up and start looking for work in a place that hasn't been coopted by new age whack-a-do's. WOW!!!!

[Kayauhs]

Truthfully, it sounds like you work in the land of the lunatic. You have leadership on board with this mystical nonsense and even a doc writing orders for it. You could report all this stuff to regulatory agencies involved after documenting your objections and exhausting your internal chain of command about the use of these stinky cure-alls. However, being the only sane person in the room will make you a pariah. We used to have a saying in the Army "is this the hill you want to die on?" This being the case you may choose to suck it up and start looking for work in a place that hasn't been coopted by new age whack-a-do's. WOW!!!!

WOW YOU SAID IT!!! I'm not joking here, not only have I been subjected to severe allergic reactions but also to the harassment of my co-workers who started saturating the nurse's station and unit with oils, lotions scented with oils and then the one chick started showing up saturated with the stuff on her own purse, uniform ect...spraying it in the air and laughing at me when I would have a reaction.

The lunatic fringe is alive and well.

[Kayauhs]

This sounds like a new pinnacle in stupidity. Nurses bring stinky garbage in from home at their own expense and dousing their patients in it???? Meds and counseling are called for here & not for the patients.

Can you imagine ANY WHERE else in nursing where you would bring a substance FROM HOME and apply it to a patient at your facility?? I just shake my head at the stupidity. I feel like I'm alone on an island. After a while they make you feel like you are the problem.