Medical Cannabis: Risks, Side Effects, and Clinical Considerations (CNE)
Medical cannabis is increasingly discussed by patients, families, clinicians, and policymakers, yet many clinical conversations remain incomplete. Nurses may encounter patients using cannabis products for pain, sleep, appetite, nausea, anxiety, or other symptoms, while also managing complex medication lists, chronic disease, mental health concerns, fall risk, driving safety, pregnancy considerations, substance use history, or changing local regulations. This course helps nurses approach medical cannabis with clear clinical judgement rather than assumption or advocacy. Learners review common risk areas, side effects, impairment concerns, product variability, route-related issues, drug interaction considerations, vulnerable patient groups, documentation needs, and appropriate escalation. The course supports informed patient conversations while emphasising that cannabis-related recommendations, authorisation, prescribing, and dispensing must follow local law, employer policy, professional scope, and clinical governance. Recognise cannabis-related concerns involving cognition, coordination, sedation, dizziness, mental health, cardiovascular effects, dependence risk, and safety-sensitive activities. Consider why older adults, adolescents, pregnant or breastfeeding patients, patients with psychiatric history, and patients with complex medication regimens may require extra caution. Use balanced, nonjudgemental communication to ask about cannabis use, product type, route, frequency, perceived benefits, adverse effects, and safety concerns. Improve records, handover, medication review prompts, referral decisions, and escalation when cannabis use may affect care planning, consent, falls risk, driving, or treatment response. The learning pathway moves from cannabis literacy into practical clinical application, helping nurses recognise risk, ask better questions, document clearly, and support safer care decisions. Important scope note: Cannabis laws, prescribing rules, dispensing regulations, workplace policies, and nursing scope vary widely by country, state, region, employer, role, training, competence, consent requirements, supervision arrangements, and indemnity or insurance. This course is educational and does not authorise learners to recommend, prescribe, supply, administer, or supervise cannabis products outside the requirements that apply to their own professional role and location. This course is suitable for nurses and healthcare professionals working in primary care, pain management, rehabilitation, oncology, palliative care, community care, aged care, mental health, emergency care, perioperative care, occupational health, medication review, and interdisciplinary practice. It is especially relevant for clinicians who want to discuss cannabis use safely, recognise possible adverse effects, improve documentation, and support risk-aware clinical decision-making. Dr. Kenneth Finn, M.D., graduated from the University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston and completed residency training in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Utah. He is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Pain Medicine, and Pain Management. Practicing medicine in Colorado Springs since 1994, Dr. Finn serves on the American Board of Pain Medicine Exam Council, Appeals Committee, and Executive Board, and is President-Elect of the American Board of Pain Medicine. He served on the Colorado Governor's Task Force on Amendment 64, Consumer Safety and Social Issues Work Group, and serves on the Colorado Medical Marijuana Scientific Advisory Council. In support of improving patient care, this course has been planned and implemented by AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare and Neil Asher. AKH Inc., Advancing Knowledge in Healthcare is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team. This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 4.00 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit for learning and change.Course Description
What You Will Learn
Clinical Risk Awareness
Side Effects and Vulnerable Groups
Patient Conversations
Documentation and Escalation
Course Pathway
Who This Course Is For
About the Presenter