The Effect of Aromatherapy with Damask Rose on Anxiety, Accuracy and Job Stress in Operating Room Nurses

Background: Operating room nurses are frequently exposed to high-risk physical and psychological factors leading to increased anxiety and job stress and reduced accuracy.Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aromatherapy with damask rose on anxiety, accuracy and job stress in operating room nurses.Method: This clinical trial study was conducted in ۲۰۲۱ on ۶۰ operating room nurses in Qom, Iran. The subjects were selected by the convenience sampling method and randomly divided into two equal experimental and control groups using the random blocking method. In the experimental group, nurses were asked to inhale damask rose for ۱۰ minutes. The control group was asked to inhale normal saline. Anxiety, accuracy and job stress were assessed before and after aromatherapy. Data were analyzed by SPSS software (version ۲۲) and Chi-square test, Independent t-test, and paired t-test. P<۰.۰۵ was considered statistically significant.Results: The mean age of nurses was ۳۲.۲۱±۶.۱۷ years. After aromatherapy, the mean scores of anxiety and job stress significantly increased to ۲۶.۵۳ ± ۴.۰۰ (t=۹.۳۲, P<۰.۰۰۱) and ۸۰.۰ ±۱۰.۴۷ (t=۷.۰۶, P<۰.۰۰۱), respectively in experimental group. The mean score of accuracy significantly increased to ۳۳.۵۶ ± ۳.۶۹ in the experimental group after aromatherapy (t=۸.۲۱, P<۰.۰۰۱). The results showed statistically significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of anxiety (t=-۷.۲۹, P<۰.۰۰۱), accuracy (t=-۲.۴۸, P=۰.۰۱۶) and job stress (t=۴.۱۴, P<۰.۰۰۱) after aromatherapy.Implications for Practice: It is recommended to use aromatherapy with damask rose to reduce anxiety and job stress and improve accuracy among operating room nurses.