WVU School of Nursing faculty member receives Rosenthal Riter Scholarship

Marian “Marnie” Reven, an assistant professor in the Adult Health Department of the WVU School of Nursing, was recently awarded the Rosenthal Riter Scholarship from the West Virginia Nurses Association (WVNA) to support her aromatherapy research.

Reven, a member of the WVNA and the American Nurses Association, is passionate about aromatherapy and how it can impact healthcare. She was inspired in 2019 to begin working toward her PhD in Philosophy of Nursing Science.

The research study title for her dissertation is “Using aromatherapy for comfort, ease, and stress for adults being treated for substance use disorder in north central Appalachia: A randomized controlled trial.”

She said the purpose of the study is to examine the effect of an aromatic intervention using bergamot essential oil on comfort, ease, and stress in adults in a substance use disorder (SUD) recovery program.

As Appalachia is at the epicenter of the opioid addiction crisis, Reven aims to explore whether integrating aromatherapy could help improve comfort and reduce stress for individuals who are working toward recovery.

With the Rosenthal Riter Scholarship, Reven will be able to advance her research. Her proposed timeline for the study is now through May 2023.

-WVU-

CONTACT: Wendy Holdren
Director of Communications and Marketing
WVU School of Nursing
304-581-1772; wendy.holdren@hsc.wvu.edu