Clinical aromatherapy is an alternative medicine therapy that can be beneficial in the inpatient or outpatient setting for symptom management for pain, nausea, general well-being, anxiety, depression, stress, and insomnia. It is beneficial for preoperative anxiety, oncology, palliative care, hospice, and end of life. Essential oils can be dangerous and toxic, with some being flammable, causing skin dermatitis, being phototoxic with risk of a chemical burn, or causing oral toxicity or death. The article investigates history, supporting theories, guidelines, plant sources, safety, pathophysiologic responses, and clinical nursing aromatherapy. Recommendations for developing a best practice clinical nursing aromatherapy program are provided.

Keywords: Clinical aromatherapy, Clinical management, Best practice model, History, Theoretic frameworks, Plant sources, Safety case reports, Pathologic response

Go to:

Key points

• • Aromatherapy is an alternative medicine or integrative therapy that works with conventional medicine treatment.
• • The Food and Drug Administration of the United States guidelines classify essential oils as cosmetics because they are not drugs for treating or prevention of disease.
• • Essential oils come from seeds, stems, leaves, needles, petals, flowers, rinds and fruits, woods and resins, roots and rhizomes, and grasses.
• • Case reports are presented for considerations regarding flammability, elder and child safety, dermatitis, phototoxicity, oral toxicity, and eye safety, including critical analysis and intervention.
• • Clinical aromatherapy can be beneficial for symptom management for pain, nausea, vomiting, preoperative anxiety, critical care, well-being, anxiety, depression, stress, insomnia, respiratory, dementia, and oncology.