Medical Cannabis Fundamentals: The Essential Guide to Patient Care for Nurses

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The topics explored within each module of this course are outlined below.

Module 1: Medical and social history

• Cannabis and its historical context: When, where and the discovery of the plants therapeutic properties occurred.
• You’ll gain understanding of the complex social attitudes affecting the plants status as a medicine throughout history.
• Where medicinal cannabis is having the most impact now.

Module 2: Cannabis botany, taxonomy and genetics

• The plant's botanical properties, as well as how terms such as 'Indica and 'Sativa' have been used and misconstrued alongside the categorisations currently used to classify the plant.
• The genetic history by looking at how historical and modern-day horticultural practices produce the wide range of cannabis cultivars available at present.
• Cannabis has evolved its own complex linguistic terms of reference throughout its complicated history. We will see how this continues today, evidenced by the extensive range of colourfully named and chemically different (and sometimes chemically similar) cultivars available in the medical cannabis space

Module 3: Endocannabinoid system

• The discovery of the endocannabinoid system, it’s function within the human body
• The Phytocannabinoid pharmacology, endogenous signalling pathways,
• The lesser known cannabinoid compounds and the properties of terpenes

Module 4: Clinical applications

Clinical applications for:

• Cannabinoid Deficiency Syndrome 
• Chronic Pain
• Palliative Care
• Chemo Induced Nausea and Vomiting
• Neurological
• Mental Health
• Inflammation and the Immune System

Module 5: Patient assessment

• The acute toxicity and safety of THC and CBD
• The short and long term effects of cannabinoid use
• Absolute and relative contraindications for treatment
• Potential drug-drug interactions to be wary of
• Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome and its management, a paradoxical condition caused by cannabis use.

Module 6: Cannabinoid therapy

• Patient centred care: the mainstay of quality care provision in Australia.
• Patient cohorts: We’ll provide you with real world insights into the current Australian patient base and their use of cannabis as a medicine. 
• Dosing and titration: how to initiate, titrate and monitor therapy in your patients.
• Delivery methods and administration formats: How these compounds are administered and patient centred considerations in choosing an administration method.
• Balanced cannabinoid ratios: using THC and CBD together for maximal treatment outcomes.
• Biphasic effects: consideration of dose-dependent responses in your patients.
• Chemovar considerations: the differences between products and considerations in choosing treatments.
• Harm reduction principles: working with your patients to provide the best outcomes.

Module 7: Regulations and legislative framework

• The regulation of cannabis medicines in Australia and the Therapeutic Goods Administration’s role in managing access to cannabinoid therapies. 
• Special Access Scheme B and how to provide cannabis using this approval pathway.
• The Authorised Prescriber scheme; what you need to become an Authorised Prescriber and how to maintain this approval.

This activity has been endorsed by Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association (APNA) according to an approved quality standards criteria.

Completion of this educational activity entitles eligible participants to claim 5 CPD hours.