Aromatherapy and Music Impact on Nurses' Stress at Work
1 other identifier
interventional
25
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is to determine if nurses who receive chamomile-lavender aromatherapy and listen to music during a 20-minute break once per shift for 8 weeks, will experience report decreased work stress (measured by self-reported symptoms of anxiety) compared to before the aromatherapy and music intervention during breaks. The investigators know nurses are at high risk for stress and anxiety. Despite the current processes and policies in place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital that support nurses to take breaks during their shifts, nurses continue to share feeling stressed and anxious. Included in this Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is an evidence synthesis of fourteen studies supporting the idea that combining aromatherapy and music can reduce anxiety in both adults and children. The evidence-based intervention being studied is administering lavender-chamomile essential oil aromatherapy and listening to music during 20-minute non-meal breaks once a shift for 8 weeks. Participants will go to a quiet breakroom, pour 3 drops of lavender-chamomile essential oil onto a non-adhesive 2X2 gauze pad, and place the pad about 20 centimeters from their noses while also listening to their preferred calming music through their personal phones and wireless earbuds or headphones for twenty minutes.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at below P25 for not_applicable
Started Jul 2026
Shorter than P25 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
July 1, 2026
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 9, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 28, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
September 30, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
September 30, 2026
July 30, 2026
July 1, 2026
3 months
July 9, 2026
July 28, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Measure of workplace stress
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to measure workplace stress. Scores on this tool range from a total of 0 to 63. There are 21 items and each item can receive a score of 0 to 3. Higher scores are associated with higher stress/anxiety.
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. After the 10 week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
stress
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to assess levels of workplace stress before and after this intervention.
The intervention time period is 10 weeks.
Study Arms (1)
Aromatherapy and music
EXPERIMENTALNurses employed on a critical care unit at an academic medical center will self-administer lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and listen to music of choice on earphones during their scheduled 20-minute rest break during work hours.
Interventions
There is only one experimental arm in this study. All participants will self-administer aromatherapy oil while listening to music during their scheduled 20-minute rest break during work hours.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- CCU nurses at NM AMC providing direct patient care.
You may not qualify if:
- not currently pregnant
- no allergies to essential oils.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Northwestern Universitylead
- Northwestern Medicinecollaborator
Study Sites (1)
Northwestern Medicine Academic Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Angela Maeder, PhD, RNC-OB
Northwestern Medicine
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- NA
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- SUPPORTIVE CARE
- Intervention Model
- SINGLE GROUP
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Nurse Scientist
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 9, 2026
First Posted
July 28, 2026
Study Start
July 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
September 30, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
September 30, 2026
Last Updated
July 30, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-07
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share