About Us
The Intersection of Experience and Education
For two decades, I cared for patients across medical-surgical units, emergency medicine, critical care, and veterans health. I watched as my patients grew burdened by chronic disease, persistent pain, and the complexities of polypharmacy.
I wasn’t looking for a career change, but it found me. I realized that while my patients were seeking relief through cannabis, our healthcare system and my own nursing education lacked the evidence-based framework to support them safely or ethically.
Forging a Path in Evidence-Based Cannabis Nursing
In 2018, I began to forge a path with few trail markers. My early research led me to the seminal National Nursing Guidelines for Medical Marijuana from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN).
At last, I had my first real map for this clinical frontier.
Between 2018 until my return to the bedside during the pandemic, I immersed myself in formal cannabis research and the science of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). I studied the medical and adult-use communities where patients and their caretakers often served as citizen scientists and quickly realized that my peers were left to navigate these clinical complexities without the education or professional frameworks needed to care for their patients safely.
Smyth Med: Bridging the Gap
That challenge defined my mission. Today, as the founder of Smyth Med and Cannabis Public School, I translate emerging cannabinoid science into practical, clinically relevant education for nurses.
My work is anchored in the Cannabis Nursing Scope and Standards of Practice developed by the American Nurses Association (ANA) and the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA), as well as the foundational frameworks provided by the NCSBN.
I advocate for nursing competence. My education ensures that nurses can support evidence-informed, patient-centered care that upholds nursing principles and prioritizes patient safety, clinical accountability, and license protection.
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