A Comparison of Aromatherapy to Standard Care for Relief of PONV and PDNV in Ambulatory Surgical Patients.

J Perianesth Nurs. 2018 Apr;33(2):116-128. doi: 10.1016/j.jopan.2016.09.001. Epub 2017 Mar 16.; Stallings-Welden LM, Doerner M, Ketchem EL,Benkert L, Alka S, Stallings JD.


PURPOSE: To determine effectiveness of aromatherapy (AT) compared with standard care (SC) for postoperative and postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PONV/PDNV) in ambulatory surgical patients.


DESIGN: Prospective randomized study.


METHODS: Patients (n = 254) received either SC or AT for PONV and interviewed for effectiveness of PDNV. Machine learning methods (eight algorithms) were used to evaluate.


FINDING: Of patients (64 of 221) that experienced PONV, 52% were in the AT group and 48% in the SC group. The majority were satisfied with treatment (timely, P = .60; effectiveness, P = .86). Of patients that experienced PDNV, treatment was 100% effective in the AT group and 67% in the SC group. The cforest algorithm was used to develop a model for predicting PONV with literature-based risk factors (0.69 area under the curve).


CONCLUSIONS: AT is an effective way to manage PONV/PDNV. Gender and age were the most important predictors of PONV.


Copyright © 2016 American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses. All rights reserved.


PMID: 29580591 DOI: 10.1016/j.jopan.2016.09.001