Essential Oils

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Does anyone having issues with the use of the ever popular essential oils?

Last year most teachers were using diffusers in the classroom during flu season which caused students to come to me with headaches. The Admin backed me up and has stated that they can not be used when class was in session --only before and after school and with the windows partially opened. Now we have a new staff member who offered me a huge supply of essential oils (she sells them) to use on students. I declined the kind offer and stated that we should not use them on students. Anyone else running into this??

Specializes in as above.

you use so called essential oil ONLY for YOUR use! Never use it on animals (pets) or other patients. Period. Its a huge $$$$ industry. Take a look at the website of doTerra! Its like Amway in MLM.

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Specializes in school nursing/ maternal/child hospital based.

We actually have a corporation wide policy on use of essential oils. Can not be administered by nurse or student at school. Doesnt keep them from putting it on before they get here. Im not anti-oil. I just worry about the interactions and possible effects it could have. Too hard to regulate. Some of it is so strong I have had Asthmatic students have issues. One of my elementary students was hospitalized multiple times one year, come to find out, the teacher was running diffusers in her classroom causing the kid to have problems. That was not a good thing!!!

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Specializes in School LVN, Peds HH.

We're having HUGE issues with this. I had a handful of parent complaints to me due to essential oil use in the classrooms. Their kids would get headaches, migraines, asthma, allergic reactions... the worst part is our former PTC president sells Doterra and has been spreading all kinds of false information (it's natural so you can't be allergic, there aren't any proteins to cause reactions, essential oils are "scent free")... thankfully the principal has backed myself and the District RN up on this issue, but its been a battle for sure.

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My office smells like teen spirit.

Soooo sweat socks and Axe?

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.
...essential oils are "scent free")...

What??? Has she ever smelled one? I think her nose is broken.

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IT'S NATURAL SO YOU CAN'T BE ALLERGIC! LOL! Go tell that to the kids with nut and fruit allergies.

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Specializes in Addictions, psych, corrections, transfers.

I feel bad when I have to be THAT person. We just hired a new nurse and she brought in her diffuser. When I walked in the office I immediately got a headache and my lungs started getting tight. I really wish they didn't affect me so much but I had to tell her to remove it because we get a lot of people with lung issues and migraines. They may have benefits for some but for others, it's misery. I felt bad because she was just trying to making our office more pleasant and welcoming but yeah people who seem to really be into essential oils don't seem to think about how it effects others negatively.

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I hate to say it, but with cannabis being legalized at schools now (for medical patients) damn near anything is possible.

But essential oils? Are you kidding me.

I get migraines. A lot of them. Strong smells, and lights screw with me bigtime. Working at the parts store, I've gotten headaches triggered by dumping 5 gallons of waste motor oil, rubber hoses and gaskets in that aisle, you name it. Customers with cars that have weed smoke billowing out while I'm under the hood innocently testing out their battery, and alternator...

Someone sprays essential oils around me, guess who needs 2 Advil's stat?

Second, schools IIRC are always getting their throats jumped down for when they have to spray chemicals...Round Up, etc....

Other than one being natural and one a harmful chemical, what is the difference in terms of being pungently odored?

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Infection Control/Geriatrics.
Nope! Students AND staff who have allergies, asthma, headaches, chemical sensitivities, etc. can all have their symptoms triggered by the stuff. Plus, some essential oils can be dangerous to kids when applied on the skin or ingested.

One of my cousins who works in the mental health field and has chronic neurological symptoms from a case of Lyme is very sensitive to fragrances. It doesn't matter if it's 100% organic lavender that was grown on a farm in North Dakota with unicorn tears- a smell is a smell, and it can trigger some of her symptoms. She is shocked at just how much essential oils are appearing in healthcare settings. I still remember in nursing school being taught that different health conditions can make people sensitive to fragrance (ex. a cancer patient going through chemo) and so nurses and their work environments should be fragrance free. Now I'm literally seeing nursing "research" articles that suggest we should make a whole inpatient floor smell like oranges and lemons (Using aromatherapy in the clinical setting: Making sense of scents).

Don't get me wrong- I can love aromatherapy just as much as the next person, but I don't think it's appropriate to be using in many health settings at this point.

We only use them in Restorative Therapy but only with a Doctor's o.k. and it's not a high concentration so we don't get it wafting down the halls. But peppermint really does help with pain for some of our Residents.

The use of aromatherapy is really a science by itself and shouldn't be done by anyone without proper training because, yes, they can be dangerous.

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We only use them in Restorative Therapy but only with a Doctor's o.k. and it's not a high concentration so we don't get it wafting down the halls. But peppermint really does help with pain for some of our Residents.

The use of aromatherapy is really a science by itself and shouldn't be done by anyone without proper training because, yes, they can be dangerous.

*plugs in a diffuser*

Trained.

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Specializes in School Nurse. Having conversations with littles..
*plugs in a diffuser*

Trained.

:roflmao::sarcastic::roflmao::sarcastic::roflmao::sarcastic::whistling:
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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
We don't use them in our school. I do use oils at home (in a diffuser or in the bath), but the scent of my office is Sani-Cloth and Clorox wipes. I've been told it smells like the doctors office. I do have a seldom used air freshener our office manager gave me for when it gets real stinky in here--usually if my office has been vomited in or my bathroom has been diarrhea bombed.

From the Nurses Health Study II Newsletter I received today: Nurses who used disinfectants to clean surfaces at least once a week had a 22% higher risk of developing COPD....High level exposure to specific disinfectants such as glutaraldehyde, bleach, hydrogen peroxide and quaternary ammonia compounds (also known as "quats") was associated with a 24% to 32% higher rise of developing COPD." Volume 26, 2018.

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