July 24, 2026

Burnout, defined as a response to chronic occupational stress characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a diminished sense of personal accomplishment, has become a significant occupational health concern, affecting approximately two-thirds of nurses in the United States. These challenges are compounded by national workforce shortages, with projected deficits of nearly 338,000 registered nurses (RNs) and more than 99,000 licensed vocational/practical nurses by 2036. Therefore in order to support clinician well-being, resilience, and workforce sustainability healthcare organizations are increasingly exploring integrative and complementary approaches.

Among these approaches, modalities such as mindfulness, yoga, meditation, and aromatherapy have demonstrated potential for reducing stress and burnout among healthcare professionals. Aromatherapy, in particular, has emerged as a low-cost, low-risk intervention with preliminary evidence supporting its effectiveness in stress reduction. Aromatherapy involves the therapeutic use of essential oils derived from aromatic plants. Through inhalation, aromatic compounds stimulate the olfactory system and limbic regions of the brain associated with emotion, memory, and behavior, potentially influencing neurochemical and hormonal pathways involved in stress regulation. Beyond its physiological effects, aromatherapy has longstanding roots within nursing theory and holistic nursing practice. Jean Watson's Theory of Human Caring provides a conceptual framework for understanding aromatherapy as more than a symptom-management intervention. Watson's theory emphasizes intentional presence, self-awareness, cultivation of healing environments, and the interconnectedness of caregiver and recipient within the caring-healing process.