Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
Issue link: http://outpatientsurgery.uberflip.com/i/1133356
J U N E 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 L ate one night, after finishing anesthesia on a C-section patient overcome by nau- sea and unrelieved by traditional antiemetics, Wendy Nichols, CRNA, was inspired to start researching alternative methods of dealing with this distressing anesthesia side effect. She knew that certain essential oils had both a high alcohol content, (which would relieve nausea by the same mechanism as isopropyl alcohol pads), and pos- sessed antispasmodic properties that had been used for centuries to soothe GI symptoms. After months of research, Wendy began formulating essential oil blends in her kitchen and devising a safe way to deliver it to her patients. The hospital staff and patients enthusiastically embraced her prototype rem- edy, and were astonished to observe that more than half of the nauseated patients experienced complete relief, simply by inhaling the pleasant aroma. That was more than 15 years ago. Today, Wendy's essential oil vapor blend, now known by the brand name QueaseEASE, is delivered in state-of-the-art inhalers in over 1,500 hospitals across the US. Wendy teamed up with her CEO brother Roy to form Soothing Scents, a company that develops innovative nursing interventions that offer precision and efficacy, without compromising on patient safety. Since the initial trial in 2006, over twenty independent hospital studies have been conducted with QueaseEASE, showing complete or partial nausea relief in up to 80% of patients, reduced use of antiemetic medications, shorter PACU stays, relief of post-discharge nausea, and a faster onset of action than traditional antiemetic drugs.* For those who are skeptical about using integrative approaches in a medication-dominant area such as surgery, Wendy says the following: "We're quickly shedding the outdated belief that aromatherapy and other holistic methods aren't effective at providing symptom relief. In fact, there is a large and growing body of evidence to the contrary. We know that reme- dies like QueaseEASE work brilliantly for nausea, and most importantly offer a safer option than medica- tion." In light of the current opioid crisis, anti-anxiety essen- tial oil blends, such as STILL from Soothing Scents, have emerged as a viable alternative to medication in treating the anxiety that accompanies chronic pain. Because STILL can easily be carried in a pocket, it can be used anytime, anywhere, as often as needed, and without the threat of sedation or dangerous drug inter- actions. "Nurses have always been innovators," says Nichols. "Because we're on the front lines of patient care, we truly understand our patients' needs and how best to meet them." By using design thinking, Soothing Scents are building a bridge between traditional and comple- mentary medicine with their evidence-based, non- drug nursing interventions. Soothing Scents creates integrative health care inter- ventions and delivery innovation for the management of patient nausea and anxiety. The company's online course, "Therapeutic Inhaled Essential Oils for the Health Care Setting," is the first ANCC-accredited training program dedicated to essential oil use in hos- pitals. Visit www.soothing-scents.com to learn more. * QueaseEASE studies data https://soothing-scents.com/research/#our-studies Thinking Outside the Box by Thinking Outside the OR: A reflection of 15 years of quiet game-changing. Sponsored by SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT