Promoting the Holistic Care Approach to Increase Use of Aromatherapy on a Surgical Unit

Purpose: The goal of this quality improvement project was to increase staff nurses’ knowledge of and comfort level with administration of aromatherapy, reduce barriers in the administration of aromatherapy, and increase use of aromatherapy as a holistic nursing intervention on an acute care surgical unit. Prior to the project, aromatherapy use was explored on this 28-bed unit and revealed there were less than three aromatherapy administrations per month. Design: The project followed guidelines for quality improvement outlined by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model and was further informed by the holistic theoretical framework of aromatherapy. Methods: The project implemented a new aromatherapy station and provided access to quick reference materials. Quantitative data surrounding aromatherapy administration were gathered through chart review. Qualitative data were gathered through observation of staff and interviews with key stakeholders. Findings: Data surrounding aromatherapy administration revealed an increase in use on this surgical unit with the project implementation. Conclusions: Benefits from this project informed an increased comfort level with aromatherapy and ease of administration by nurses. Patients may then experience subsequent benefits related to being offered aromatherapy as part of a holistic approach to their treatment plan.