Clinical trial NCT04819594: The Effects of Aromatherapy on the Stress Levels of Nurses Working in an Urban, Safety-Net Community Hospital
Official title: The Effects of Aromatherapy on the Stress Levels of Nurses Working in an Urban, Safety-Net Community Hospital
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Stress Levels
Lead sponsor: Parkland Health and Hospital System
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2021-03-29
Enrollment: 319
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: NA
Intervention model: SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose: OTHER

Brief summary: Parkland Hospital inpatient nursing staff will be the focus of this study. This project aims to investigate the use of lavender on the stress levels associated with the nursing role. Nurses will wear the Elequil aromatabs ® over a four-hour period and a post survey will be given to assess root cause of stress and changes related to intervention.

Detailed description: Nurses today are facing unprecedented patient acuities, burnout, fear, uncertainty, a continuously evolving workflow and nursing shortages, Therefore, workplace-related stress has become one of today's most serious occupational hazards. Aromatherapy can be a convenient, inexpensive, and non-invasive method of stress relief. There is little research regarding the efficacy of aromatherapy by means of inhaling essential oils in reducing workplace stress-related symptoms among nurses. Therefore, this study will examine the efficacy of lavender-scented aromatherapy tabs (Elequil ® aromatabs ®) in reducing job stress-related symptoms among nurses.

The study for the participants goes as follows:

1. Nurse identified by:

   * Leadership
   * Self-identified
   * SPARKS member
2. Process:

   * Identified nurse will be informed and consented regarding the study.
   * An aromatab will be given to the nurse.
   * They will place the aromatab on their uniform top to allow for continuous exposure to the scent.
   * Four (4) hours later - nurse completes survey as to the effects of the aromatab
   * Completed survey is placed in research file at charge nurse desk in opaque folder.

Data to be used within the research project will be obtained from the collected survey forms.

Recruitment will be completed face-to-face between the SPARKS team member, leadership, or self -identification of the potential subject. Considerable care will be taken so that the person contacted does not feel pressured to participate.

The research team will meet prior to enrolling the first participant, during and upon completion of data collection. Any safety concerns will be addressed at those times. At any time during data collection, the PI's or any study team members may request that the team meets to address a safety concern. Study participants will be assured of anonymity and confidentiality of the data and they will also be reminded that they can withdraw from the study at any time.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Nurses volunteering to participate in the study and are experiencing stress while at work

Exclusion Criteria:

* Known allergies or sensitivities to aromatherapy products, a history of respiratory problems, asthma, allergies to fragrance, or lost sense of smell. Those nurses who have had serious disease complications will also be excluded from the study.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Mean change in stress levels as measured by Nurse Survey
timeFrame: Baseline, 4 hours post intervention (aromatherapy)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Dallas
country: United States
facility: Parkland Health and Hospital System
state: Texas
Study officials:
affiliation: Parkland Health and Hospital System
name: Justin Buchert, MSN, M.Ed., MS, RN
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: