Cannabis The Efficacy of Medical Marijuana Use in Palliative Care

Clinical Question

Because marijuana has been legalized for medical use in twenty states, its use has received much media attention and scrutiny. Nurses need to be aware of their roles, rights, and responsibilities regarding working with patients who have been prescribed medical marijuana. Likewise, nurse practitioners need to be aware of the specific circumstances in which medical marijuana might be indicated as a treatment intervention. The focus of this research is on the efficacy of medical marijuana in a specific patient population: persons in palliative care. Approximately 1.5 million patients per year in the United States are in hospice or palliative care. If it is possible that medical marijuana will help patients in palliative care, nurses need to be aware of this fact.

The specific clinical question for this topic would be as follows: Among hospice or palliative care patients (P), what is the effect of medical marijuana (I) on pain relief, anxiety reduction, and sleep aid (O) compared with a control group (C) over a six-month period (T)? The PICOT question as it is phrased reveals the emphasis on therapeutic intervention:

Population: Palliative care patients

Intervention: Medical marijuana

Control: Palliative care patients not taking medical marijuana

Outcome: Pain relief, anxiety reduction, sleep aid.

Time: Duration of stay in hospice.

This paper will describe existing

However, the evidence used to investigate the PICOT question derives from a variety of nursing sources. Much existing research comes in the form of literature reviews. Many describe the history of cannabis use, the nature of cannabis as a medical intervention, how it works, and targeted treatment interventions that have been indicated in experimental research designs. Ideally, the research would emphasis experimental designs. Qualitative research, especially related to nurse, patient, and caregiver attitudes, would also be relevant. Medical research on specific interventions may also be helpful, even if such research does not directly impact nursing care. Research on patient attitudes, if available, could illuminate some issues related to comprehensive family nursing care. Moreover, position statements like those issued by the Oregon Nurses Association (n.d.) or that of the Hospice and Palliative Nursing Association (HPNA, 2014) can be fruitful in illuminating the contexts of medication marijuana use and nurse roles and responsibilities. Nursing literature on medical marijuana tends to focus on patient advocacy and the responsibility of nurses…