Effectiveness of lavender inhalation aromatherapy on pain level and vital signs in children with burns: a randomized controlled trial

•Burns are a source of pain, which cannot be fully treated with medications.•Inhalation aromatherapy has an effect on reduction of pain levels.•Inhalation aromatherapy has an effect on stabilization of vital signs.•Nurses can improve children's comfort by inhalation aromatherapy before dressing. Burns are a source of pain, which cannot be fully treated with medications. This study aims is to test the effectiveness of lavender oil inhalation aromatherapy applied before dressing change on vital signs and pain levels of children with burns. This randomized controlled study was held between May 2018 and May 2019. A total of 108 children who met the inclusion criteria were studied in three groups: Lavender-15 Group inhaled lavender oil for 15 min before dressing (n:36), Lavender-60 Group inhaled lavender oil for 60 min before dressing (n:36), and Control Group inhaled jojoba (placebo) oil for 15 min before dressing (n:36). Baseline pain levels and vital signs of the children were measured before inhalation. Pain levels and vital signs of the children were re-measured at the 1st and 30th minutes after dressing. There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of pain levels (p = 0.750) and vital signs before dressing. In post-dressing measurements, the number of respiration (after 1 min p = 0.000, after 30 min p = 0.000), heart rate (after 1 min p = 0.000, after 30 min p = 0.000), mean arterial blood pressure (after 1 min p = 0.010, after 30 min p = 0.000) and pain levels (after 1 min p = 0.000, after 30 min p = 0.000) were lower in the Lavender groups compared to the placebo group. The result of this research reveals that inhalation aromatherapy which applied before dressing in children with burns affects the reduction of pain levels and stabilization of vital signs.