Therapeutic Oils in hospital

[Maeve1982]

I have heard about oils being used in a hospital setting, but that's just it. Hearing bits and pieces only. I know for me personally, essential oils (I use Doterra), have helped me tremendously and I'm just wondering if anyone has used, for example, lavender for calmness and relaxation or any other oils to help patients in any way.

Any responses will be helpful. Thanks!

xoxo

[wanderlust99]

I saw a nurse use some kind of essential oil on a patient post op, recovering from anesthesia. I know her heart was in the right place. She was hiding that she was doing it, you could obviously smell it, but she felt she was helping the patient's post op n/v. I thought it was inappropriate.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I saw a nurse use some kind of essential oil on a patient post op, recovering from anesthesia. I know her heart was in the right place. She was hiding that she was doing it, you could obviously smell it, but she felt she was helping the patient's post op n/v. I thought it was inappropriate.

Yeah, that's giving a med with no order, in my opinion.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I don't think it's giving a med with no order, because ESSENTIAL OILS ARE NOT MEDS AND DO NOT WORK LIKE MEDS. (sorry for shouting)

But bringing your own stuff from your own home and giving it therapeutically to patients during work is hugely inappropriate.

[Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP]

We recently had a patient using her own coconut essential oil for her headaches while in my unit. I don't know if it worked for her but it smelled amazing so it was a nice change from the hospital smells. I'm all for things like essential oils purely for smell and relaxation, but as actual medical treatment and cures, no way.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

We do post a sign on our patient's door if aromatherapy is being used. And we list it on our assignment sheets so you can switch before the shift starts. (Not gonna lie- one of my least favorite chronic patients has it all the time- lucky me!)

That being said- we have one doc who prescribes it for vented patients. Umm, correct me if I'm wrong, but if you're intubated, you are not passing air through your nose (one would hope) and therefore the 'benefit' is not there, right?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I don't think it's giving a med with no order, because ESSENTIAL OILS ARE NOT MEDS AND DO NOT WORK LIKE MEDS. (sorry for shouting)

But bringing your own stuff from your own home and giving it therapeutically to patients during work is hugely inappropriate.

If you're applying a chemical substance that you think may have an effect on the body, that's a med. Dry skin moisturizer and hot packs require an order at my facility.

[klone, MSN, RN]

But *thinking* it has an effect and it actually *having* an effect are two different things. I see your point, though.

[melizerd, ASN, RN]

We have aromatherapy lavender and use peppermint oil to help post op patients pee, a couple drops in the toilet to urinal. No order needed.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

When I used to work in acute care, we had quite a good-sized tool box of therapeutic oils. The program for its use was overseen by a physician who was something of a 'naturalist' and had standing orders to use a drop or two of something on a cotton ball, given to the patient, for a variety of symptoms. Lavender for relaxation/calming (for the anxious and sleep-deprived), peppermint for the nauseated. There were a couple of others (four total, I think?) that could be used, with specified amounts, times, places, etc.

I think it worked for some patients quite well, and others not at all. Kinda like "real" medications.

[Nursetastic]

We have peppermint, spearmint, cinnamon, and wintergreen oils that people bring in to mask foul odors. A few drops in an O2 bubbler connected to air not oxygen, will help cover C-diff and GI bleed odors pretty well. The bubbler tip is cut off and no O2 tubing is used so the fragranced air comes out of the bubbler to provide scent to the whole room. We just ask the patient before doing it. We also had a family using oils on a patient. No problems until they used an oregano oil on his feet. We had numerous complaints from staff about that smell so we asked them to stop. They were gracious about it, thankfully.

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

Management is okay with you opening up a humidifier bottle for that purpose? Those aren't cheap and I can't imagine management being any too happy about them being used for non-essential purposes. I'm guessing it works better than our peppermint oil on cotton balls, though.

[sistrmoon, BSN, RN]

We have a healing touch person and I know they use aromatherapy but I haven't heard of the oils being applied.