Medical Marijuana for RN's

Nurses Professionalism

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Is it ok for a registered nurse to use medical marijuana (with a prescription) outside of work of course?

Word, leslie. My dad works in an inpt hospice in CA that allows residents to smoke marijuana. He finds it hilarious that part of his job is occasionally rolling and lighting joints for people.

honest, it has worked magically for many of my pts.

thank God, i work with an unconventional and compassionate group of people.

leslie

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Marijuana has negative effects on memory, so I think it can endanger patients because people who smoke pot are forgetful. I mean, if a nurse partakes, she will become more spaced out generally, which will impact her ability to give safe care.

Nurses who use marijuana are not going to partake then come to work no more than a nurse would drink alcohol and come to work. What a nurse does in her off time, whether she drinks a glass of wine or smokes a joint. is not the hospitals business. Smoking pot on Sunday will not affect her job on Monday.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.
Nurses who use marijuana are not going to partake then come to work no more than a nurse would drink alcohol and come to work. What a nurse does in her off time, whether she drinks a glass of wine or smokes a joint. is not the hospitals business. Smoking pot on Sunday will not affect her job on Monday.

From my personal experience smoking marijuana during my teenage years, it definately stays in you system. I was a space cadet when I wasn't 'high'. I really think marijuana affects short term memory.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

here are some links that provide the scientific research on marijuana and memory...

[color=#ff4400]http://www.livescience.com/health/060313_pot_brain.html

http://www.livescience.com/health/061119_pot_memory.html

"we found that the longer people used marijuana, the more deterioration they had in these cognitive abilities, especially in the ability to learn and remember new information," said study author lambros messinis, phd, of the department of neurology of the university hospital of patras in patras, greece. "in several areas, their abilities were significant enough to be considered impaired, with more impairment in the longer-term users than the shorter-term users."

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

I personally think it should be legalized as well, even if only for medical purposes. I haven't smoked since I was a kid (and have no plans on it, unless it is legal, then maybe), but I don't think it is very dangerous. If legalized, the government could regulate it, make sure it is pure (too many dealers will toss something else in there). I have seen more problems from people drinking to excess. And cigarettes harm the body more than a joint would. Never heard of someone getting lung cancer or COPD, like my mother, from smoking marijuana.

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Specializes in LTC, Med/Surg, Peds, ICU, Tele.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/pot/a/blaan060315.htm

Cognitive Abilities Slowed

The researchers made the following observations:

  • Compared to non-smokers, marijuana users performed worse in recall, recognition and executive functions of the brain.
  • In make decisions, long-term users showed a 70 percent impaired performance, compared to 55 percent for short-term users and eight percent for non-users.
  • In a test to remember a list of words that was read to them earlier, non-users remembered 12 of the 15 words, short-term users remember and average of nine words, and long-term users remembered an average of seven.
  • Frequent smokers performed worse on tests of cognitive abilities, including divided attention (ability to pay attention to more than one stimulus at a time) and verbal fluency (number of words generated within a time limit).

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Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.

I'll post this link again, not for the sake of argument but to dispel rumor and myths.

http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/

Personally, I miss smoking it. Last time I did was over 14 years ago...All it did to me was make me laugh and make me hungry.

This is not to say that it wouldn't have some detrimental effects on others, just as any medication would. But I think the government desperately needs to check into this as a form of treatment for people with various medical problems.

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Specializes in LPN, Peds, Public Health.

And we all need to remember that the adverse effects of smoking marijauna is nothing compared to the effects of drinking alcohol. And there is a difference between recreational use and habitual use. I don't think smoking a joint ever now and then is going to make you lose your memory. Heaven knows I am losing mine and I don't do anything!

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Specializes in CVICU.

I would have to agree with the majority of the posters, it should be legalized and taxed like nothing has ever been taxed before. That would put a near end to the demand driving illegal operations and help our trillion dollar deficit. I would like to see other drugs treated in a similar way, not legalized for anyone to buy at the store, but regulated by the government, prescribed to addicts, and geared towards recovery. How could something like that work? I have no idea but I'm sure any drug cartel or organized crime leader would turn cringe at the idea of their product's demand falling right out from under them.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I agree that it's like alcohol, but I don't think it would help the debt b/c the reason it isn't legal is b/c the gov't makes too much off of it being illegal. Marijuana can be grown in a backyard or basement, the gov't can't tax it or make money off of "homegrown" stash. I don't smoke, never have either, but it's more money for uncle Sam to keep it illegal.

However, if it was legalized; there could be rules and regulations as to who can or can not sell marijuana and where. The marijuana sold legally could have a "Marijuana tax" which the government could benefit from. Those who were growing and selling it that did not have the authority to do so (those that have passed exams on proper handling and growing techniques...what fertilizers can or can not be used, how pure the form needs to be, ect...similar to what your typical farmer would have to go through) would still be punished as they are now; except the government would then be benefiting two-fold...once on the tax for those that are legally selling it, and once again on the fines for those that are selling it illegally. Also, many dollars are spent on the war on drugs...and this includes marijuana at this time

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Hi, I'm new and I'm an aspiring nursing student. I worked as an admin assistant in some very reputable hospitals out here in Los Angeles, and have worked with some terminally ill patients who used medical marijuana as part of their therapy. Here in Los Angeles, it's "very" legal.

"Marinol is given often for folks with poor appetites, on chemo, immunocompromised, etc... It does not contain THC so therefore there is no euphoric feeling and you don't get "high." I write for it often for my patients with poor appetite to attempt to stimulate it..."

This is inaccurate. Marinol is 100% SYNTHETIC THC and it DOES make people feel euphoric (as if anything is wrong with that).

Any person using Marinol WILL test positive for THC.

However, Marinol is a schedule III drug, and can be prescribed with refills, safely.

Overall, the chemicals in marijuana and marinol are safe.

Cognitive dissonance and politics keep the plant itself illegal.

Even in states where it is legal, the law doesn't protect you from being fired from your job if you test positive for THC, even if it's not a medical or other type of job that is sensitive (air pilot, etc.). They tried to pass a law here recently in california to protect employees with valid recommendations, but it didn't pass.

THC stays in your system for 30-90 days, so it's really sad that people who choose to partake on vacation could be penalized at work one or two months later.

The more fat you have on your body, the longer it stays too.

I would love it if the medical community would include cannabis in education.

There is absolutely an appropriate place for it in western medicine.

Honestly, I'd rather be treated by a nurse who smoked a doobie before she went to bed the night before, rather than taking AMBIEN, but that's just my humble opinion!!!

Anyway, just wanted to share some of my experience working with medical cannabis patients (they like to call it "cannabis" in the medical community out here because of the stigma of "marijuana".)

Hope to talk with you guys more! This site is interesting.

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"I would have to agree with the majority of the posters, it should be legalized and taxed like nothing has ever been taxed before. That would put a near end to the demand driving illegal operations and help our trillion dollar deficit. I would like to see other drugs treated in a similar way, not legalized for anyone to buy at the store, but regulated by the government, prescribed to addicts, and geared towards recovery. How could something like that work? I have no idea but I'm sure any drug cartel or organized crime leader would turn cringe at the idea of their product's demand falling right out from under them."

They are doing this in California right now. They charge 8.5% tax on medical marijuana sold in herbal dispensaries. It is absolutely working and has taken cannabis out of drug dealer's hands (in MOST cases) and has put it into the hands of reputable business owners.

It has been easier for the board of equalization to shut down operations not paying tax, than it is for the DEA to figure out who is legit, and who isn't.

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