Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to describe the effects of aroma inhalation on sleep and fatigue in night shift nurses.
METHODS
The research design was one group pre-posttest design. The subjects were 17 night shift nurses who work at neurosurgery intensive care unit of K hospital of C university in Seoul. During three consequent night shifts, the participants were worn the Actigraph to measure the sleep pattern on their wrist since their first night shift work. The quality of sleep and fatigue was measured by survey when they awoke at 6 pm after second night shift work. And these measures were repeated during the night shifts in second and third week. Aroma inhalation was applied before going to bed after finishing each night shift work during second and third week. SPSS 12.0 program was used for data analysis.
RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences in sleep latency and total sleeping time. However, significant differences were found in the sleep efficiency, awakening number, sleep quality, subjective symptom and intensity of fatigue.
CONCLUSION
These results showed that aroma inhalation had positive effects on the pattern and quality of sleep and reducing fatigue in night shift nurses.

• Keywords: Aromatherapy; Sleep; Fatigue; Nurses