Day in the life of
Cannabis Nurse Educator – Eve Kandiyoti MSN, RN, CPHQ
As a cannabis nurse educator, I provide education and advocacy within my state’s State Board of Nursing regulations. My work involves educating clients and healthcare professionals on the endocannabinoid system. Our clients usually have chronic issues and are taking a lot of medication that causes them to have unwanted side effects or it is not providing the outcome they need. We use a holistic nursing framework to help educate and guide patients in becoming their best healthcare advocates to reach their goals. This may or may not include cannabinoids.
My typical day
As with most healthcare professions, a typical day is adapting to change. although I have a to-do list everyday to start my day, often it can be interrupted due to a client concern, a new opportunity for speaking engagement or networking opportunity, and many other fires that can pop up. It is really about prioritizing and setting time limits to get things done.
Usually, my day starts with a 5-minute meditation and gratitude practice. I typically spend the first hour getting my high priority to do action items off my list.
Next, I focus on preparing for upcoming client consultations and speaking engagement preparations. Client consultations are very time-consuming since they are individualized. I conduct a medication review to check for any adverse reactions to cannabinoid therapeutics, review the client’s overall health goals, look for the latest research on the client’s specific condition and goal, and then search for the best products for that specific client. I create a client care plan to give to them as a guide.
Additionally, I spend a lot of my time creating educational content for clients and healthcare professionals. For the business, time is dedicated to creating blog posts and social media content.
Another component of my day is conducting research on the latest medical cannabis bills in my state and reaching out to state and federal representatives to build relationships to advocate for safe patient access to medical cannabis.
Pros
I love what I do! I have been a nurse for over 15 years and the opportunities nursing has provided me has been beyond anything I could have ever managed.
Change is a pro. Healthcare is always evolving and being able to adjust and accept change is key in any healthcare profession. We aren’t taught about our endocannabinoid system (ECS) in school and the opportunity to spread awareness of the ECS and help facilitate change motivates me each day.
The collaboration component is a major pro. I get to meet and work with thought leaders in the field and make connections with farmers, business owners, pharmacists, healthcare providers, representatives, and many others. Being a cannabis nurse educator fulfills my lifetime learning needs. There is so much to learn and more and more research is coming out. It is a very exciting time to be a cannabis nurse educator.
Cons
Our healthcare system tends to focus on sickness versus wellness. Sometimes it is an uphill battle educating on the importance of treating the client as a whole person and focusing on wellness and prevention. We are moving in that direction but at a very slow pace. A big hurdle is overcoming the stigma around cannabinoid therapeutics. When I tell people that I am a cannabis nurse educator, there are mixed reactions. It provides an opportunity to educate that we all have an ECS and how important the ECS is regulating homeostasis. Some are open to learning and identifying those who are or are not open early on is important. The stigma around cannabis is real but so is the thousands of years it has been used in providing health benefits and the current research providing proof of its benefits when used appropriately.
