An interventional study of lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and music in Stress, sponsored by Northwestern University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-01.
Sponsored by Northwestern University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is to determine if nurses who receive chamomile-lavender aromatherapy and listen to music during a 20-minute break once per shift for 8 weeks, will experience report decreased work stress (measured by self-reported symptoms of anxiety) compared to before the aromatherapy and music intervention during breaks.
The investigators know nurses are at high risk for stress and anxiety. Despite the current processes and policies in place at Northwestern Memorial Hospital that support nurses to take breaks during their shifts, nurses continue to share feeling stressed and anxious. Included in this Doctor of Nursing Practice research project is an evidence synthesis of fourteen studies supporting the idea that combining aromatherapy and music can reduce anxiety in both adults and children.
The evidence-based intervention being studied is administering lavender-chamomile essential oil aromatherapy and listening to music during 20-minute non-meal breaks once a shift for 8 weeks. Participants will go to a quiet breakroom, pour 3 drops of lavender-chamomile essential oil onto a non-adhesive 2X2 gauze pad, and place the pad about 20 centimeters from their noses while also listening to their preferred calming music through their personal phones and wireless earbuds or headphones for twenty minutes.
Northwestern University is the lead sponsor of 1,396 studies on the registry; 199 are open to participants now.
Of its 102 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 73 (72%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
-CCU nurses at NM AMC providing direct patient care.
Exclusion Criteria:
Nurses employed on a critical care unit at an academic medical center will self-administer lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and listen to music of choice on earphones during their scheduled 20-minute rest break during work hours.
Other: lavender-chamomile aromatherapy oil and music
There is only one experimental arm in this study. All participants will self-administer aromatherapy oil while listening to music during their scheduled 20-minute rest break during work hours.
Measure of workplace stress
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to measure workplace stress. Scores on this tool range from a total of 0 to 63. There are 21 items and each item can receive a score of 0 to 3. Higher scores are associated with higher stress/anxiety.
Time frame: The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. At week 10, after the 8-week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
stress
The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be used to assess levels of workplace stress before and after this intervention.
Time frame: The Beck Anxiety Inventory will be given before the intervention begins. At week 10, after the 8-week intervention period, the participants will be asked to complete the Beck Anxiety Inventory again as a post-intervention measure.
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is completed, as verified in Jul 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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Northwestern University