Reducing Up-set Stomach and Vomiting After Surgery Using Essential Oils

Essential Oils to Reduce Post-Operative Nausea and Vomiting

The purpose of this study is to determine if aromatherapy (essential oil) is effective at reducing up-set stomach and vomiting after surgery and in reducing the need for up-set stomach medications

If participants decide to take part in this study, they will be asked to use choose a small nasal inhaler from a bag, open the sealed package, and inhale from the nasal inhaler 3 times, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, just prior to entering the operating room. During recovery in the Post-operative acute care unit (PACU), nausea severity will be rated using a 0-3 scale where zero indicates no nausea.

If your score is 1-3, participants will be instructed/assisted in using a nasal inhaler 3 times, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth. After 5 minutes, nausea scores will be collected again and if the score is the same or higher, participants will be asked to use the nasal inhaler again in the same manner as before. If their nausea has not resolved after the second use, they will be give anti-nausea medication that a surgeon ordered. This process will be repeated again whenever you complain of nausea, until they are discharged from the hospital.

Inclusion Criteria:

• post-op surgical patients at least 18 years of age or older
• the ability to understand and follow directions for use of essential oils
• the ability to understand and give informed consent to study
• the ability to understand, read and write English
• ambulatory or short-stay/23-hour patients

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of any pulmonary disease, including but not limited to: asthma, COPD, OSA, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary and ear, nose, throat (ENT) surgery patients
• Allergy to any of the ingredients in the essential oils
• Sensitivity to strong odors