Impact of an Aromatherapy Program on Managing Surgical Patients’ Perceived Nausea and Vomiting

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a major practice concern. It can cause adverse patient experiences and contribute to an increased length of stay. This is especially true among orthopedic surgery patients. This study utilized aromatherapy, a holistic intervention to better manage PONV. This study is a quality improvement project that used a pre- and post-intervention design to determine significance. Participants scored their perceived nausea and vomiting on a scale of 0 (no nausea) to10 (severe nausea) at intervals of 4 hours. The practice change utilized QueaseEASE©, an aromatherapy clip that is a blend of peppermint, lavender, spearmint, and ginger. This product was attached to orthopedic surgical patient's gowns during the intervention phase of the project. The infusion clips provided continuous aromatherapy for the entirety of a postoperative course and were used in addition to the standard of care. Data were collected by clinical staff at the specified intervals. Information from the preintervention and postintervention groups were compared to determine the impact on perceived PONV. A total of 290 participants provided data during the practice change. A Chi-square test showed a value of (P = .035) and a Wilcoxon sign-rank test of (P = .058). Evidence-based literature supports the utilization of an aromatherapy intervention for the management of PONV. There was a significant decrease in instances of perceived PONV amongst compared groups. Despite a decrease in nausea severity, there was no significance determined in this measure. Aromatherapy is a valid tool to mitigate the impact of perceived PONV.