背景：護理人員因工作性質導致睡眠品質不佳，影響自身健康與工作效率為現存普遍之問題。 目的：探討薰衣草芳香療法對女性護理人員睡眠品質改善之成效。 方法：本研究於台南某區域醫院進行類實驗研究，隨機分配100位受試者至實驗組與控制組。實驗組接受薰衣草芳 香療法8週(n = 48)，控制組則未給予介入措施常規入睡(n = 47)，以測量匹茲堡質量指數(Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index)及心率變異度(heart rate variability, HRV)作為成效指標。 結果：經8週介入研究，實驗組介入前與介入後測得睡眠品質指數達統計差異(p = .005)，薰衣草芳香療法介入睡眠 品質佳；控制組前、中、後測睡眠品質指數則無統計差異(p = .052)；實驗組之生理指標評量，於心跳、血 壓、心律變異性(HRV)、高頻功率(HR)、低頻功率(LF)及自律神經系統平衡指標(LF／HF)之客觀數據皆 呈顯著差異(p < .001)，顯示薰衣草吸嗅可以降血壓與心跳以達到放鬆效果。本研究結果顯示，薰衣草芳香 療法可改善護理人員睡眠品質，且能調節心律變異性、交感與副交感神經，以提昇睡眠品質。

Background: Poor quality of sleep is a common problem among female nurses due to the nature of nursing work. This situation may impact negatively on their physical and mental health and on their overall work performance. Purpose: This study was designed to explore the effect on the sleep quality of female nurses of sniffing essential lavender oil (lavender aromatherapy). Methods: This quasi‐experimental study was conducted at a regional hospital in southern Taiwan. A total of 100 qualified participants were randomly assigned to either the experimental group or the control group. The experimental group received lavender‐based aromatherapy for eight weeks (n = 48) and the control group received no intervention (n = 47). The main outcome indexes used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and heart rate variability (HRV). Results: After eight weeks of the Lavender‐Based Aromatherapy intervention, the differences between the PSQI pretest and posttest scores were statistically significant (p = .005) for the experimental group and not statistically significant (p = .052) for the control group. Furthermore, the control group registered significant pretest/posttest differences in terms of blood pressure, hear rate, heart rate variability (HRV), high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), and LF/HF (p < .001). The lavender‐based aromatherapy intervention effectively improved the sleep quality of experimental‐group participants. The present study demonstrated that lavender inhalation may have a persistent and short‐term effect on HRV with an increase in parasympathetic modulation that results in improved sleep quality in female nurses. Conclusions / Implications for Practice: The present study supports the efficacy of lavender‐based aromatherapy, a safe and convenient intervention, in improving the sleep quality of nurses. Improving the sleep quality of professional nurses is a priority issue due to their variable shift‐work schedules and critical role in ensuring the delivery of effective, high‐quality public healthcare.