hospitals

[Guest guest]

A UK view on the subject of the use of EOs in hospital ........ I am a Nurse, &

Aromatherapist, & don't feel that my sense of smell is blocked up with

petro-chemicals. However, whilst I would love to use EOs at work many hospitals

do not have protocols & guidelines to support or accomodate their use ........

by this I mean things like COSHH assessments & risk management assessments. Some

years ago there was a recorded incident where a health worker, working in the

vicinity of a patient being massaged with lavender had an anaphylactic reaction

to the lavender. The aromatherapist was working independantly, & following this

incident the hospital drew up protocols to protect themselves ( I am sure the

main aim !!) & their nurses / aromatherapists. I do not think that many

hospitals have such protocols, but am encouraged to know that some forward

thinking ones do.

Also, whatever may be deemed appropriate for one patient may not be suitable for

another in very close proximity ......... or may be too sedating, thus sedating

the nurses too ( God forbid !!!). We work in an ethos where the chemicals have

had sound COSSH reports & are judged to be 'safe' whereas EOs possibly may not

stand up to scrutiny if there were another incident (simply because they have

not been approved by hospital governing bodies), & in this kind of scenario,

forgive my cynicism, the nurse / aromatherapist would be left to carry the can.

Please don't think I am against the use of EOs in hospital, but I believe it

cannot be dabbled with, & must have safeguards inbuilt for the protection of the

practitioners.

Having said that, when MY mum was dying, her consultant gave me permission to

use aromatherapy ......... reflexology ..... whatever would make her comfy. At

the time I only had lavender oil with me which I used & the nurses on the ward

all loved it & even other patients & their visitors felt that I had improved the

usual aroma of a general medical ward !!

A goal in my life is to get complementary therapies recognised in my hospital

trust. I had thought that Clinical Governance may have provided a lever, but at

the end of the day finances rule.

It is now the end of my day. A busy night shift & I am off to bed.This is very

long, I hope it is not TOO boring ..... & if it sounds pessimistic it isn't

meant to ...... just realistic, with a knowledge of how 'the system' treats

people especially when something goes wrong !!!!

Very best wishes to you all. I pick up lots of useful tips for my 'other' life

(ie aromatherapy not nursing ) Lots of staff come to me for advice & treatment &

there is a strong wish amongst nurses to use more natural therapies, & even if

they can't at work they will at home.

Jean