As healthcare changes, the mindset of the medical professional towards how care is provided must also change. With natural treatment modalities on the rise, it is the medical professional's responsibility to ensure they are abreast of those changes.
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More and more patients are choosing to take charge of their health by utilizing natural treatment modalities before seeking care from their medical providers. How do medical professionals equip themselves with the necessary tools to confidently treat and educate the patients they serve, all while respecting the foundation of their nursing education?
As healthcare professionals, we may be able to recall at least one experience of a patient asking for our opinion about using essential oils for a particular illness, symptom, or health condition. If you were educated in the United States, learning about using essential oils was not a part of your nursing course curriculum. Schools teach that if a medication is not FDA approved or supported by a plethora of evidence-based research studies and clinical trials, it should not be considered a treatment option.
In contrast to the medical model of care, the nursing model has a holistic approach and focuses on treating the whole patient, not just the patient's disease or illness. Considering a patient's race, religion, socioeconomic status, and gender identity is important to ensure a favorable patient outcome. Not staying abreast of the changes happening within the medical spectrum, in addition to not being aware of the treatment mindset of the patients we serve, we limit ourselves from holistically caring for those who entrust us with their health and wellbeing.
Essential oils have been used for centuries by various groups of people all around the world. Using essential oils for their health benefits is not a new fad that is here today and will be gone tomorrow. Over the years, more and more people have reported using essential oils and other forms of complementary medicine. Patients are now more than ever choosing to use natural forms of treatment for their medical concerns instead of relying on conventional medicine.
Healthcare professionals must realize that the face of healthcare is changing ... and changing fast! Continuing to view complementary medicine as subpar or phony options for health treatment and management is foolish and suggests that there is only one way to achieve health.
Changes have been made in the way certain medical conditions are treated. Alterations have been made to treatment algorithms. Paper charting is a thing of the past since the introduction of electronic medical records, and the use of social media has changed how medical facilities market and reach their patients.
Why is there so much resistance from healthcare professionals to learning about and accepting the health benefits of complementary medicine? Whatever it may be, no time is better than the present to change a mindset and begin anew.
Here are 5 tips I believe can help you begin your journey to learning about and being familiar with essential oils.
TAKE YOUR TIME
Do not stress yourself about learning about every essential oil at once. Just as you have chosen a nursing specialty and have a vault of information and experience within your area of expertise, approach learning about essential oils the same way. Choose a couple of essential oils to learn about at a time and become as knowledgeable as possible about them.
USE THEM!
Reading and research are great and highly beneficial but a personal experience is invaluable.
PURITY MATTERS
Knowing what you are using on (and within) your body is pure and free of contaminants is important. Familiarize yourself with why purity, sourcing, and testing of essential oils are extremely important.
KNOW THE RESEARCH
Yes, there is evidence-based research and clinical trials readily available on essential oils. As you would read research studies about a medical condition, do the same with essential oils. You'll be amazed at what you will learn.
SHARE
Once you have become knowledgeable of essential oils, you have used them for yourself and are familiar with their health benefits. Share your knowledge with your family, coworkers, and patients. Sharing is caring.
Essential oils are widely used, have been tested, and prove to have incredible health benefits. If you have a skeptical viewpoint towards them, I hope this article encourages you to set your skepticism aside and open up your mind to learn something new all while helping yourself and the patients you care for.
The National Library of Medicine, PubMed section, has millions of articles and links to full-text articles about a myriad of health-related conditions and treatment modalities, medical and non-medical. PubMed is a great starting point to familiarize yourself with essential oil science and research.
