Professional Association Recognizes Cannabis Nursing as a Specialty Practice

The American Nurses Association (ANA) announced last week that it has officially recognized cannabis nursing as a professional practice. The American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA) defines cannabis nursing as a specialty nursing practice focused on education and the health care of consumers seeking education. It was also mentioned that it has been recognized as Guidance on the therapeutic use of cannabis.

“ANA is pleased to officially recognize cannabis nursing practice as a nursing specialty,” ANA President Jennifer Mencik Kennedy, Ph.D., MBA, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN, said on September 27. Statement from the organization. “This recognition highlights the important role and special contribution of cannabis nurses to the health care system and promotes greater integration of cannabis therapy for medical consumers in diverse health care settings.”

Cannabis Nursing Mission

ACNA’s mission is to advance the field of cannabis nursing through advocacy, collaboration, education, research, and policy development. First officially registered as a nonprofit organization in 2010, the professional association is also committed to contributing to the broader field of nursing practice and patient care.

“We are deeply gratified by the groundbreaking establishment of cannabis nursing as an ANA-recognized nursing specialty. “It provides an opportunity to embrace a variety of health practices that go beyond traditional Western medicine,” said Rachel Parmelee, MSN, RN, CNE, AHN-BC, ACNA President. “Cannabis nursing requires specialized knowledge and competencies to advance care and address the stigma associated with medical cannabis use to support a healthy society. We aim to create lasting, transformative change that enriches both clinical nursing practice and ultimately contributes to the well-being of patients across the country.”

For more than 20 years, ANA has helped provide safe access to therapeutic cannabis and related cannabinoids. The association is the only review body for professional nursing scope of practice and practice standards, claims for specialty certification, and confirmation of focused practice competencies. In 2021, ANA will official policy statement Confirm that cannabis and cannabis derivatives are used to reduce symptoms and side effects of diseases. The position statement calls for a scientific reconsideration of cannabis’s status as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, and instead calls for the listing of cannabis as a Schedule II drug to encourage research into the medical benefits of cannabis. proposed to promote it.

The ANA policy statement also calls for prescribing standards, including “indications for use, specific doses, routes of administration, expected effects and possible side effects, and indications for discontinuing medication,” as well as evidence-based standards for the medical use of cannabis. asked for development. and cannabinoids. Additionally, the position statement called for legal protection from criminal or civil penalties for patients who use cannabis and cannabinoids for medical purposes. Similarly, the statement provides protection from prosecution and civil penalties, as well as licensure and certification, to health care professionals who discuss alternative treatments related to marijuana or who prescribe, dispense, or administer marijuana in accordance with professional standards. It called for freedom from professional sanctions such as deprivation. and state law.

The ANA’s announcement comes as the benefits of cannabis become better known among patients and more experts gain knowledge on the issue. In September, Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, began offering two cannabis certificate programs, including one focused on cannabis and health care.

“The reason we did this is because of the educational disparities. We see ourselves as an institution that exists to provide education,” said Rachel, director of Gonzaga’s Center for Lifelong Learning.・Mr. Stroller says: told the inlander. “We are trying to help reduce the stigma surrounding cannabis because people need the right information to make their own decisions.”