Effects of Aromatherapy Combined with Music Therapy on Anxiety, Stress, and Fundamental Nursing Skills in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Hae Kyoung Son,Wi-Young So,Myoungsuk Kim

doi:10.3390/ijerph16214185

Abstract

Purpose: Nursing students often experience anxiety and stress when taking exams that test their fundamental nursing skills. Complementary alternative methods, such as aromatherapy and music therapy, have effectively alleviated such negative emotions among nursing students. However, few studies have examined the effects of combined therapy interventions or compared the effects of different interventions. This study identified the individual and combined effects of aromatherapy and music therapy on test anxiety, state anxiety, stress, and fundamental nursing skills among nursing students in Korea. Methods: A double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial design was used. The study was conducted at the nursing college at Sungshin Women’s University, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Ninety-eight sophomore female nursing students participated in the study. Subjects were randomly categorized under three groups: aromatherapy (n = 32), music therapy (n = 32), and aromatherapy combined with music therapy (n = 34). Aromatherapy was carried out through the inhalation method using an aroma lamp and three drops of Origanum majorana and Citrus sinensis. Music therapy was carried out using Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. Twenty-minute interventions were performed in separate rooms before an exam was administered. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires, including demographics, test anxiety, state anxiety, and stress. Participants’ Foley catheterization skill was likewise evaluated. Results: Aromatherapy combined with music therapy had a significant effect on test anxiety (F = 4.29, p = 0.016), state anxiety (F = 4.77, p = 0.011), stress (F = 4.62, p = 0.012), and performance of fundamental nursing skills (F = 8.04, p = 0.001) compared with aromatherapy and music therapy as separate interventions. Conclusions: The results suggest that nursing education that includes aromatherapy combined with music therapy may be effective for improving the performance of fundamental nursing skills and reducing anxiety and stress among nursing students.

Highlights

Nursing is generally based on clinical practice [1] and clinical practice is based on fundamental nursing skills [2], making it important for nurses-in-training to acquire robust fundamental nursing skills
The results suggest that nursing education that includes aromatherapy combined with music therapy may be effective for improving the performance of fundamental nursing skills and reducing anxiety and stress among nursing students
Aromatherapy combined with music therapy was associated with a significant decrease in test anxiety, state anxiety, stress, and increased subjects’ fundamental nursing skill performance, as compared with the separate intervention groups

Summary

Introduction

Nursing is generally based on clinical practice [1] and clinical practice is based on fundamental nursing skills [2], making it important for nurses-in-training to acquire robust fundamental nursing skills. Nursing science curricula have emphasized the importance of fundamental nursing skills. Res. Public Health 2019, 16, 4185; doi:10.3390/ijerph16214185 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph. Fundamental nursing skill test AG MG AMTG. Program introduction (procedure, pretest, posttest, fundamental nursing skill test).

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Discussion

Conclusion