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.