Effects of Lavender on Anxiety, Depression, and Physiological Parameters: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose@#The recent evidence suggested substantial anxiolytic efficacy of lavender. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy of lavender for anxiety, depression, and physiological parameters and to elucidate the differential effects of lavender on anxiety and depression by study characteristics. @*Methods@#A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature databases for randomized controlled trials investigating the efficacy of lavender on anxiety, depression, or physiological parameters in humans. We assessed the risk of bias within studies with the revised Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized trials. We used random effect model to estimate the average effect and computed bias-corrected standardized mean difference as effect size metric, Hedges’ ĝ for all outcomes. @*Results@#Lavender was superior to placebo or no treatment in reducing anxiety (Hedges' ĝ = −0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.90 to −0.55, p value <.001), depression (Hedges' ĝ = −0.43, 95% CI, −0.59 to −0.27, p value <.001), and systolic blood pressure (Hedges' ĝ = −0.23, 95% CI, −0.41to −0.05, p value = .01). The moderator analysis by meta-regression indicated that route of administration accounted 6.5% (p value = .187) for the heterogeneity in anxiolytic effects, sessions of treatment accounted 13.2% (p value = .055), and participants’ health state accounted 8.9% (p value = .131) for the variance in anxiolytic effects. @*Conclusion@#Lavender aromatherapy showed substantial effect in reducing anxiety and depression, and sessions of administration increased the anxiolytic effects. The effects on physiological parameters showed small with inconsistent significances and randomized controlled trials on the effect of lavender on depression were scarce. Future trials on depression and physiological parameters are recommended, and increasing the sessions of administration is recommended.

Influence of Professional Self-concept, Ego-resilience, and Job Stress on Job Performance of Nurses who are Reemployed after Career Interruption / 한국직업건강간호학회지

Purpose@#This study was conducted to investigate the influence of professional self-concept, ego-resilience, and job stress on job performance in reemployed nurses after career interruption. @*Methods@#The participants were 207 nurses who worked at hospitals with more than 100 beds located in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.The nurses had experienced a career interruption of at least one year, and had less than five years of experience at the current workplace. The collected data were analyzed utilizing SPSS 24.0 program and using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. @*Results@#The participants’ job performance, professional self-concepts, ego-resilience, and job stress showed significant positive correlations.It was found that the professional self-concept, ego-resilience, and job stress had an effect on the participant's job performance in order, and explained 51.3% of variance in job performance. @*Conclusion@#To improve the job performance of career disconnected nurses, it is necessary to reinforce job stress control, professional selfconcept, and level of ego-resilience.

Influence of Professional Self-concept, Ego-resilience, and Job Stress on Job Performance of Nurses who are Reemployed after Career Interruption / 한국직업건강간호학회지

Purpose@#This study was conducted to investigate the influence of professional self-concept, ego-resilience, and job stress on job performance in reemployed nurses after career interruption. @*Methods@#The participants were 207 nurses who worked at hospitals with more than 100 beds located in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Gangwon provinces.The nurses had experienced a career interruption of at least one year, and had less than five years of experience at the current workplace. The collected data were analyzed utilizing SPSS 24.0 program and using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. @*Results@#The participants’ job performance, professional self-concepts, ego-resilience, and job stress showed significant positive correlations.It was found that the professional self-concept, ego-resilience, and job stress had an effect on the participant's job performance in order, and explained 51.3% of variance in job performance. @*Conclusion@#To improve the job performance of career disconnected nurses, it is necessary to reinforce job stress control, professional selfconcept, and level of ego-resilience.

Levels, antecedents, and consequences of critical thinking among clinical nurses: a quantitative literature review / 보건의료교육평가

The purpose of this study was to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of critical thinking within the clinical nursing context. In this review, we addressed the following specific research questions: what are the levels of critical thinking among clinical nurses?; what are the antecedents of critical thinking?; and what are the consequences of critical thinking? A narrative literature review was applied in this study. Thirteen articles published from July 2013 to December 2019 were appraised since the most recent scoping review on critical thinking among nurses was conducted from January 1999 to June 2013. The levels of critical thinking among clinical nurses were moderate or high. Regarding the antecedents of critical thinking, the influence of sociodemographic variables on critical thinking was inconsistent, with the exception that levels of critical thinking differed according to years of work experience. Finally, little research has been conducted on the consequences of critical thinking and related factors. The above findings highlight the levels, antecedents, and consequences of critical thinking among clinical nurses in various settings. Considering the significant association between years of work experience and critical thinking capability, it may be effective for organizations to deliver tailored education programs on critical thinking for nurses according to their years of work experience.

How Strong is the Evidence for the Anxiolytic Efficacy of Lavender?: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

PURPOSE: Although lavender is purported to possess anxiolytic and sedative properties and is often recommended for relieving anxiety, the efficacy of lavender has not been well established. Thus, this review aimed to evaluate the anxiolytic effects of lavender aromatherapy.METHODS: Ten data bases were searched for studies published between 2000 and 2018. Randomized controlled trials investigating the anxiolytic effects of lavender aromatherapy with any type of application for persons with or without clinical anxiety were included. The outcome variables included self-rated anxiety, vital signs, and salivary cortisol and chromogranin A (CgA) levels. In the meta-analysis, standardized mean difference and 95% confidence interval were calculated as effect measures by applying the random effect model and inverse variance method.RESULTS: Twenty-two trials met our inclusion criteria. Lavender aromatherapy was found to have favorable effects in relieving anxiety (Hedges' ĝ = −0.65; 95% CI, −0.84 to −0.46) and decreasing systolic blood pressure (ĝ = −0.22; 95% CI, −0.43 to −0.02), heart rate (ĝ = −0.53; 95% CI, −0.74 to −0.32), and salivary cortisol (ĝ = −1.29; 95% CI, −2.23 to −0.35) and CgA (ĝ = −2.29; 95% CI, −3.24 to −1.34) levels. However, the meta-analysis did not reveal any significant effects of lavender on diastolic blood pressure (effect size: −0.17; 95% CI, −0.37e0.04).CONCLUSION: Aromatherapy using lavender oil might have favorable effects on anxiety and its physiological manifestations. Future studies are recommended with an emphasis on methodological quality. In nursing practice, it is suggested that lavender aromatherapy be included in programs intended to manage anxiety in patients across diverse healthcare settings.

A Qualitative Study on Interpersonal Relationships of Patients with Facial Burn Injuries: Phenomenological Study

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to explore the experience of patients with facial burn injuries regarding their interpersonal relationships. METHODS: The phenomenological research method was used. Participants of the study consisted of five males and three females. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews from November, 2014 to February, 2015 and analyzed using Colaizzi's method. RESULTS: Five theme clusters were extracted that described patients' experiences. They are “being a lonely foreigner,” “closing my mind toward the world,” “hiding hurt feelings,” “companion of my face,” and “communicating with the world”. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a deep understanding and insight into the experience of interpersonal relationships among facial burn patients. The development of a comprehensive program including physical, psychological, and social aspects is recommended to address the problems facial burn patients encounter in interpersonal relationships and to facilitate interaction.

A Qualitative Study on Interpersonal Relationships of Patients with Facial Burn Injuries: Phenomenological Study

PURPOSE@#The purpose of the study was to explore the experience of patients with facial burn injuries regarding their interpersonal relationships.@*METHODS@#The phenomenological research method was used. Participants of the study consisted of five males and three females. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews from November, 2014 to February, 2015 and analyzed using Colaizzi's method.@*RESULTS@#Five theme clusters were extracted that described patients' experiences. They are “being a lonely foreigner,”“closing my mind toward the world,”“hiding hurt feelings,”“companion of my face,” and “communicating with the world”.@*CONCLUSION@#The results of this study provide a deep understanding and insight into the experience of interpersonal relationships among facial burn patients. The development of a comprehensive program including physical, psychological, and social aspects is recommended to address the problems facial burn patients encounter in interpersonal relationships and to facilitate interaction.

Economic Stress, Depression, Suicidal Ideation, Resilience, and Social Support in College Students / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine economic stress, depression, suicidal ideation, resilience and social support in college students and to examine the correlation between these variables. METHODS: The participants were 157 3th and 4th year college students. Data were collected in September and October, 2016. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression. RESULTS: Students' economic hardship and worry about future economic security, sub-categories of economic stress had positive correlations with depression and suicidal ideation. Economic hardship showed a significant negative correlation with resilience but no correlation with social support while worry about future economic security had negative correlations with resilience and social support. Factors significantly influencing suicidal ideation were depression (β=.37, p<.001) and social support (β=−.31, p<.001), with a total explanatory power of 36% (F=9.09, p<.001). CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that intervention strategies for managing economic stress in college students should include developing resilience and providing social support as well as decreasing depression and suicidal ideation.