Stressful surgeries may find relief through aromatherapy and meaningful dialogue

Liezl Moscaya, a nurse who completed her master's degree in nursing at Grand Canyon University, has made significant strides in the field of preoperative anxiety reduction. Her journey, spanning 3,000 miles across three states, began with a simple observation during her time as an operating room nurse.

Moscaya noticed that patients often felt anxious before surgery, leading her to focus her master's project on finding effective ways to reduce preoperative anxiety. Her research led her to discover that calming techniques, such as aromatherapy with peppermint and lavender, can be highly effective.

In her project, titled "Reducing Preoperative Anxiety Using Nonpharmacological Approaches in Veterans," Moscaya found that these methods could significantly reduce anxiety levels in patients. She further observed that these techniques worked better without the use of medication.

Moscaya's findings were not unique. She discovered that other hospitals were also implementing similar methods to reduce preoperative anxiety. However, her work stands out due to the comprehensive data and observations she compiled, demonstrating how reducing patient anxiety presurgery results in better patient outcomes.

Moscaya's work will be presented at the Nursing Research and Evidence-Based Practice Symposium in Burlington, Vermont, and at the Connecticut Nursing Research Alliance Conference later this fall. Her research also found that evidence-based practices for reducing preoperative anxiety are being used in multiple hospitals, although no specific search results mention hospitals implementing Moscaya's specific nonpharmacological approaches such as aromatherapy and music therapy.

Moscaya currently works in ambulatory procedures, caring for patients before and after surgery. She and others in her department started separating patients into common groups based on preferences for stress-reduction techniques, aromatherapy, music therapy, or conversation. Some patients preferred to watch the news instead of participating in the nonpharmacological treatments.

The waiting time for patients in the presurgical unit of the VA can be long, which Moscaya's research suggests amplifies anxiety. Moscaya believes that her faith guides her profession as a nurse and considers herself spiritually responsible to her patients. She values her prayer time during her 30-minute commute to work every day.

Moscaya is grateful for Grand Canyon University's Christian faith-based environment and the influence it has had on her nursing journey. She joined Veterans Administration Healthcare in Connecticut in 2008, marking the start of her journey in nephrology before moving into her current role.

Moscaya's work and findings on reducing preoperative anxiety using nonpharmacological approaches will undoubtedly contribute significantly to the field of nursing and patient care.

Stressful surgeries may find relief through aromatherapy and meaningful dialogue