The nurses supported my’ Introduction to Aromatherapy’ classes and within a year I added a second class, ‘Beyond Lavender’.  There was no charge for hospital employees. Class information included essential oil precautions, qualities of select essential oils, safety and the effective  use of  essential oils with a variety of modalities  for personal use. Topics covered included stress, insomnia and depressed mood, just to name a few.  Over several years, the course expanded to include additional  classes that focused on self care, stress reduction and skin care.

In addition to formal classes, I provided departmental in-services for all who asked me to!  Many of the nursing departments requested short presentations  during retreats and monthly meetings and one month I talked to  staff in environmental services.  Of course, everyone (almost) loved inhaling the essential oils and most were extremely interested in the fragrant aromatic plant chemicals which have the ability to heal mind, body and spirit.

Over time as the popularity of the essential oils grew and with  many nurses attending classes, the time came to discuss use of essential oils with patients.  Select nursing leadership and educators came together to create a policy for patient use that was presented to the hospital Policy and Procedure Committee and was passed!  The policy included   required education  and what specialties would use essential oils, among other components.  Select essential oils (generally four ) were chosen by each department, depending on their patient population.

I realize I am making this sound so simple which may be misleading!  Of course, hours were spent on policy creation as well as strategy presentation. This was after  several years of classes and educational talks.  My opinion on the success of the endeavor was the fact that nursing claimed ownership and skillfully steered the  clinical essential oil policy through the proper channels.  The concept was “We can do this!” not “Can we do this?”

…To be continued in the next article.

For questions and additional information , please do not hesitate to email cheryl@primalhints.com.

When I was  hired as a Nursing Director  in a large, southern health care system I was delighted when I met many health care professionals who advocated for complementary therapies within our system.  I was equally delighted when I was included in the membership on the Complementary  Task Force to exam and promote holistic concepts.   Soon however I realized we were going nowhere with anything–we just talked!  Eventually the group was dissolved with a relayed statement  from “‘The Top Gun’ who supposedly  said,  “There is no room for complementary therapies  in this health care system” and that was that.  The Complementary Task force was toast.

Several years later I left the director position and returned to education where I felt I could possibly implement   concepts such as imagery and progression relaxation into some of my classes. One afternoon while searching for course material in the library, my life was changed forever when I found an article written by Jane Buckle ( Holistic Nurse and Aromatherapist) and published in the Holistic Journal of Nursing. In her article Jane explained how lavender essential oil worked quite similarly to Ativan, the popular  (and addicting ) anti-anxiety drug that we used copious amounts of.  I could not believe what I was reading–was this really true!!  I was so moved by her article that on that same day I applied for membership in the Holistic Nursing Association.

And that was the beginning of the beginning.

As the heavens would have it, my “boss”, also a RN, supported me in my journey for Certification as a Holistic Nurse and an Aromatherapist.  As if that was not enough good fortune, when I realized it was time to leave the Health Care System and start my own business she was quite supportive.  However, she wanted me to teach aromatherapy to nurses in the  health system.

I agreed–how could I not when she had supported me one hundred percent?  My condition was that I needed a year to practice and put a course together.

True to both our promises, I came back in a year with my essential oils and  my introductory class.   I was not paid in wages, but I was given the space and the  nurses!   Before I taught my first class  I looked at her and said, “Is this approved?” She looked at me steadily and said evenly, ” just teach”.  And oh, I did!!

To be Continued…