Abstract
BackgroundIn Canada, federal regulations allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to authorize medical cannabis. Nursing regulatory bodies, however, have been hesitant to include medical cannabis within NPs’ scope of practice. As the interest in cannabis increases, NPs have the potential to play a pivotal role in promoting the safe and appropriate use of cannabis. This study aimed to: summarize nursing policies in Canada related to medical cannabis; explore the perspective of nursing regulatory bodies regarding practice and policy issues related to medical cannabis; and examine the inclusion of medical cannabis content within Canadian NP curricula.MethodsA descriptive study was conducted that comprised three phases. The first phase reviewed nursing regulatory bodies’ existing policies related to medical cannabis. In the second phase, practice consultants from nursing regulatory bodies were interviewed regarding policies and practices issues related to medical cannabis. The interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. The third phase was a national survey of NP program coordinators regarding inclusion of cannabis in curricula. Descriptive statistics summarized survey responses.ResultsOf the 12 nursing regulatory bodies in Canada, only 7 had policies or statements related to cannabis, with only Ontario allowing NPs to authorize medical cannabis. There was confusion among practice consultants regarding the role of nurses in the administration of medical cannabis and several barriers were identified regarding nursing engagement in care related to medical cannabis, including lack of knowledge and clinical guidelines. 60% of NP programs included cannabis in their curricula, however, less than half addressed the risks and benefits of medical cannabis and dosing and administration protocols. Limited faculty expertise was a barrier to including cannabis content in NP curricula.ConclusionNursing regulatory bodies must be proactive in developing policies and educational resources that will support nurses in providing safe and informed care related to cannabis. To ensure patients using medical cannabis receive consistent and safe care from nurses, harmonized regulations and policies are needed across all jurisdictions. Education programs must also provide updated knowledge and training for both registered nurses and NPs that will support them in providing non-judgemental and evidence-based care to the growing number of individuals using cannabis.
Highlights
In Canada, federal regulations allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to authorize medical cannabis
Medical cannabis policy review Just prior to the legalization of non-medical cannabis in Canada, 58.3% (7/12) of the identified provincial/territorial nursing regulatory bodies had policies or statements related to cannabis
This included practice statements and guidelines, position papers, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) that addressed nursing practice issues related to cannabis
Summary
In Canada, federal regulations allow Nurse Practitioners (NPs) to authorize medical cannabis. On October 17, 2018, the Cannabis Act and Regulations came into effect that legalized non-medical cannabis nationwide [3] The goals of this legislation were to eliminate the harms associated with the illicit market, to create a regulated and safe supply of non-medical cannabis, and to limit access to non-medical cannabis by youth [3]. While there is no difference between medical and non-medical cannabis in terms of type and quality of product (i.e., dried cannabis and oils), the regulations related to eligible age of consumption, the amount of cannabis allowed in public, and where medical versus non-medical cannabis can be consumed differ between medical and non-medical cannabis federally as well as across numerous provincial/territorial jurisdictions
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