Date of Award

Fall 12-2021

Level of Access Assigned by Author

Open-Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

Advisor

Patricia Poirier

Second Committee Member

Eva Quirion

Third Committee Member

Jordan Porter

Abstract

Medical Cannabis is receiving renewed interest in clinical practice due to the gradual increase over the last few decades of cannabis legalization and high-quality research on the potential benefits of cannabis for treating a variety of conditions (NASEM, 2017; Nursing Care of the Patient, 2018). However, the pace of medical cannabis legalization and research are outpacing the training for medical providers, leaving gaps in their confidence and ability to safely guide patients using medical cannabis (NCSBN, 2018). Medical providers are increasingly fielding questions from patients regarding the use of medical cannabis for conditions commonly seen in clinical practice, but many are uncertain of if and how they should guide patients on this use. The aim of this research is two-fold: to assess current barriers to medical providers discussing medical cannabis with their patients; and to assess the impact a one-hour educational presentation can have on addressing these barriers and increasing the likelihood of providers engaging in discussions. Though the results of this research may be limited by the small sample size surveyed, they could highlight barriers present in clinical practice and indicate possible areas for future research in expanding cannabis education for medical providers.

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