You’re waiting to have surgery, and you’re a nervous wreck. But what if, instead of hospital antiseptic, you smelled lavender? Or maybe eucalyptus?
A new study from the University of Florida finds that a little aromatherapy before surgery significantly reduces patients’ anxiety while decreasing their blood pressure and pulse rate, too.
The results are so compelling that UF Health Shands Hospital is implementing preoperative aromatherapy treatments for all its surgical units.
In the study, 100 patients were offered aromatherapy as part of their surgical preparation. For 20 minutes, a small pod, loaded with a blend of essential oils, was placed on the patients’ gowns near their chests. The pods contained a base of lavender oil enhanced with ylang ylang [lang lang] and sweet orange oils — each known for their calming properties.
Patients’ blood pressure, pulse, respiratory rates, and self-assessed anxiety levels were measured before and after the aromatherapy session.
Among adult study participants, self-reported anxiety levels dropped an average of 40%. In children ages 12 to 17, anxiety levels declined more than 56%. All vital signs — blood pressure, pulse, and respiratory rates — showed significant reductions.
The study originated from an initiative in which nurses at two UF Health hospitals submitted ideas they hoped to study to improve patient care. The initiative was meant to better integrate nursing practice with academic research and give nurses a bigger role in patient-care innovation.
The nurses also want to conduct a follow-up study on how well aromatherapy patients fare in the long term.
So far, their research passes the smell test.