Medically reviewed by Whittney Wacker, RN, Katherine Golden, RN, and Eloise Theisen, NP
Written by Denise Rustning
Leaf411’s fully-licensed Leaf Nurse Network are experts in general nursing as well as in using cannabis as a therapeutic tool. When talking with our nurses, you’ll discover they offer an incredible wealth of knowledge on cannabis, as well as deep nursing knowledge on a variety of medical conditions, health and wellness.
And as fully-licensed registered nurses (RNs), our nurses are always careful to stay within their professional scope of practice when providing information and guidance.
We know that most people are not familiar with nursing scope of practice, so today we’re sharing some examples of the types of information that our Leaf nurses can and cannot provide.
Our fully-licensed, cannabis-trained Leaf RNs can provide the following types of guidance:
- General guidance on all things cannabis, including different cannabinoids (THC, CBD, CBN, etc.), terpenes and how to use different product formulations. All guidance from the Leaf411 nurses is derived from evidence-based information and education.
- Information about specific products on the legal market, including both products made by our supporting members as well as non-members.
- Safety considerations based on your overall health and lifestyle. For example, if someone is struggling with COPD or other lung conditions, our nurses may suggest edibles or tinctures instead of inhalation.
- Potential interactions with other medications you are taking. Keep in mind that while the nurses can identify potential interactions, they cannot make specific recommendations for changing your medication dosing–only your prescribing clinician can do that.
- Starting dose ranges for different product types based on your past experience using cannabis and hemp, as well as your overall goals for using plant-based medicine.
- Guidance on using cannabis to support optimal functionality of your endocannabinoid system.
- Information and resources for you to share with your medical team.
This list is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the practice standards that guide our Leaf nurses. For a more in-depth understanding, we recommend checking out the NCSBN National Nursing Guidelines for Medical Marijuana, available for download at this link .
Our Leaf nurses can help with most questions. However, there are a few areas that fall outside of the nurses’ scope of practice as registered nurses. Following are some types of information our nurses cannot provide:
- Our nurses cannot provide specific dosing for cannabis products. Providing a specific dose, or amount, is akin to prescribing a medication, and only a medical doctor or advanced practice registered nurse–nurse practitioner (NP) with prescribing privileges can do that. However, our RNs can suggest ranges and provide guidance on how to titrate your dose up or down.
- Our nurses cannot recommend starting or stopping medications.
- Our nurses cannot diagnose a medical condition.
- Our nurses cannot order tests or interpret test results.
- Our nurses cannot make final decisions about care or treatments.
Who do you go to for help with more complex questions or issues? At Leaf411, we have an extensive network of clinician peers (doctors and nurse practitioners) with advanced training on cannabis who we can recommend for more complex issues. Keep in mind that these clinicians are independent from the Leaf411 organization and will have their own fee schedules, with those costs likely not covered by insurance.
Schedule your Leaf nurse consultation today!
As a Club Member, you can have a consultation with our Leaf411 nurses as part of our Club Perks program. Simply request an appointment by contacting us at 800-208-9230.
