Implementation of Aromatherapy, a Nonpharmacological Intervention, to Reduce Anxiety During the Preoperative Period

Purpose: The purpose of the project was to answer the following question: Does the implementation of aro-matherapy before surgery reduce preoperative anxiety in adult surgical patients undergoing elective surgery?Design: This evidence-based project was a quality improvement initiative that used pre-and poststate anxi-ety evaluations to determine the effect of aromatherapy on preoperative anxiety among adults undergoing elective surgery.Methods: The project team conducted a literature review to evaluate the appropriateness of using aromather-apy to decrease preoperative anxiety. The team delivered pre-and postaromatherapy State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults (STAIAD) Short form Y-1 questionnaire and administered an aromatherapy diffuser clip comprised of three evidence-based scented oils to determine the effect of aromatherapy on preoperative anxiety among adults undergoing elective surgery.Findings: Pre-and postaromatherapy (STAIAD) Short Form Y-1 questionnaires indicated that exposure to aro-matherapy significantly reduced preoperative anxiety. There was a statistically and clinically significant dif-ference in state anxiety score after aromatherapy exposure, with a mean state change of 17.42 points (P < .001). This exceeded the effect size benchmark derived from the evidence, which defined a significant change in state score as 5 points. Participants above the median age exhibited the most profound decrease in anxiety regardless of gender. Qualitative survey responses indicated that 96% of patients would use preoperative aro-matherapy in the future and 91% experienced increased satisfaction with their perioperative care.Conclusions: Heightened physiological response to increased anxiety leads to increased perioperative nausea and vomiting, higher pain scores, and susceptibility to prolonged recovery from surgery. Implementing aro-matherapy can reduce anxiety, thereby attenuating these complications and preventing additional accrued cost. Furthermore, this evidence-based project has the added benefit of increasing overall patient satisfaction with the perioperative process.(c) 2022 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.