Effects of Meatal Care with Essential Oil on the Meatal Status of Elderly Women Patients / 기본간호학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study was done to examine the effects of meatal care with essential oil on meatal E-coli and pH of inpatients in geriatric hospital. METHODS: The participants were 40 patients admitted to J geriatric hospital in G city, Korea. Twenty patients were assigned to the experimental group and 20 to the control group. Participants in the experimental group received meatal care with essential oil (application of essential oil mixture consisting of lavender, tea tree, and frankincense). The control group received meatal care with saline. The meatal care was performed twice daily for one week in both groups. The scores for meatal odor, meatal pH and bacterial count for E-coli were measured before and after the treatment. RESULTS: The score for meatal odor were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. The meatal pH and bacterial count for E-coli significantly decreased in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Findings indicate that meatal care with essential oil is an effective nursing intervention to reduce meatal odor, meatal pH and bacterial count for E-coli for elderly women inpatients in geriatric hospitals.