Photo Credit: Lassi meony

Rose oil aromatherapy and hand-holding reduced pain during peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion, according to findings published in Explore. Tulay Basak and colleagues conducted a comparative, mixed-methods study of 126 patients undergoing PIVC insertion a single time by a nurse using standard procedure. The researchers collected data using the Patient Interview Form and the Numeric Rating Scale. Demographic characteristics were similar between groups. Pain scores differed significantly between the rose oil group (2.40±1.78), the hand-holding group (3.53±1.98), and the control group (4.88±1.56; P=0.001). Basak and colleagues concluded that both rose oil aromatherapy and hand-holding effectively reduced pain during PIVC insertion, with rose oil demonstrating superior efficacy compared to hand-holding alone, underscoring the potential benefits of incorporating rose oil aromatherapy into clinical practice to enhance patient comfort during PIVC insertion.