Historical evolution of ethical and legal aspects in aromatherapy in Brazilian Nursing

Abstract

Introduction: Aromatherapy is an ancient practice performed by nurses, initially practiced by Florence Nightingale to calm wounded soldiers in the war and later consolidated by Marguerite Maury, considered an icon of modern Aromatherapy. This practice has sparked interest today due to its inclusion in Integrative and Complementary Health Practices and its congruence with the holistic vision present in nursing education and practice, which aims for care that reaches biopsychosocial and spiritual aspects. Objective: To describe the historical trajectory of ethical and legal aspects of nurse practice in Aromatherapy in Brazil. Material and Methods: This is a narrative review, in which publications from the Ministry of Health, the Federal Nursing Council, and Regional Nursing Councils were fully read, tracing a historical line of the legal developments of nurse practice in Aromatherapy. Searches used the keywords: aromatherapy, integrative practices in health, nursing, combined by the boolean indicator "and". These were organized in a chart that allows analyzing the evolution of these legislations over time. Results: Nursing, through its ethical and legal aspects, is a profession supported for the use of Aromatherapy in the nursing process in various health/disease situations. Nurses are allowed to prescribe essential oils, provided they have the training to do so that considers patient safety, and the development of institutional protocols is recommended. Nursing work in Aromatherapy has been recently regulated, with a minimum course load of 120 hours/lesson, in the form of free courses. Discussion and Conclusion: The ethical and legal aspects of Nursing in Aromatherapy have advanced, with solid ethical and legal bases. However, the lack of mandatory specialized education in the standards of the Ministry of Education, with courses subjected to evaluation and with a course load of over 360 hours/lesson, could mean a step back in the pursuit of in-depth knowledge, scientific research, and innovation. It is concluded that the regulation of Nursing in Aromatherapy is an important pathway opener for entrepreneurship, as well as consolidates its action as an integral member of the Integrative and Complementary Practices in Health.