The CMAI scale attempts to quantify the qualitative data used to select participants. The results were therefore subject to observer bias and individual interpretation. This could have been avoided in a randomized, case-control study. Have there been many rejections, withdrawals, abandonments or deaths? Bias in participation  Ethical concerns in research. Has informed consent been obtained? Were participants reasonably able to participate? Was the study potentially/actually harmful to participants/others? List any ethical issues that concern you as a reader and potential user of the research (e.g., truthfulness, confidentiality, coercion). Informed consent was obtained from families and proxies, however, it was not obtained from test subjects. Setting.What was the setting in which the data were collected?Other: Long-term care facility for people with dementia.Experiment (if applicable).What was the special treatment or intervention?During the study of sixteen weeks, the subject's CMAI was completed every other day to determine agitation levels, and a baseline was established after two weeks of behavioral monitoring. Then, two drops of undiluted (relaxing) lavender oil were applied to a fabric bag every three hours, three times a day, and taped near the subject's collarbone. Lavender was replaced with thyme oil (stimulant) for two weeks and was followed by a placebo (odorless grapeseed oil) for another two weeks. A second course of thyme and lavender was performed, and the study concluded after two weeks of monitoring post-treatment agitation. Did study participants know whether they received the intervention or a placebo? What methods, if any, were... .... half of the article ...... and size, observer bias, and lack of a randomized, case-controlled design, further testing may be needed before completely exclude the expected benefits and disprove the effectiveness of aromatherapy using the senses of smell in all people with dementia. Furthermore, it is unclear whether lavender would be useful in other agitated situations where the subject's olfactory senses are intact, thus indicating that further research is needed. Conclusion In conclusion, the research provides nursing professionals with the tools necessary to improve the quality of healthcare. Through the practice of critiquing articles, nurses can better identify the strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of research and identify areas for further study. Therefore, by building on knowledge, nurses are able to promote evidence-based practices and, in turn, be better healthcare professionals.