International Nurses Day: Releaf’s medical cannabis nurses

For many patients, this guidance can make the difference between simply receiving a prescription and feeling genuinely supported throughout their treatment journey.

In this article, we have a more in-depth look at the importance of our nurses and break down the key roles they play within patient care.

What is International Nurses Day? International Nurses Day is an annual celebration set up by the International Council of Nurses to honour the huge contributions nurses make within the world of healthcare and wider society.

The event takes place every year on 12th May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth, to shine a spotlight on the important role nurses play in delivering patient care and strengthening existing health systems.

The theme for this year is “ Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowered Nurses Save Lives. ” , which is designed to raise awareness of the structural changes needed to harness the power of the nursing workforce.

To get involved in this year’s International Nurses Day, use the hashtags #IND2026 and #OurNursesOurFuture when sharing posts on social media.

How does International Nurses Day relate to Releaf? As the most trusted UK medical cannabis clinic , we rely on the experience, empathy and clinical judgement of our nursing team each and every day.

Medical cannabis treatment can feel unfamiliar at first to some patients, especially those who have spent years trying other conventional options or have questions over the legal status of cannabis-based medicines in the UK.

Our nurses help bridge that gap by offering clear, practical guidance at each stage of the patient journey.

They are always there to listen, answer questions, collect important information and, ultimately, help patients feel more confident about the medical cannabis treatments they are prescribed.

What is a medical cannabis nurse? A medical cannabis nurse is a qualified nurse with a specialist understanding of cannabis-based medicines and the types of conditions they can be prescribed for.

At Releaf, our nurses are involved at every stage of the treatment journey.

Whether that’s providing follow-up care after your initial consultation or answering any questions you have once you’ve received your prescription, their role is not just clinically-focused; it’s also educational.

This is particularly important because medical cannabis care is not a one-size-fits-all treatment option. Every patient has their own medical history, symptoms, goals and concerns.

Our nursing team ensures all of these details are understood from the very beginning, allowing us to deliver tailored care to each of our eligible patients.

As Kim Kaye, our very own Head of Nursing at Releaf, puts it: “ Because nurses have a different style of communication with their patients than doctors tend to, our backgrounds are different, our experiences are different, and often patients respond to us differently.

“We meet so many people, all with different conditions, lifestyles, and circumstances, so we can gel with anyone. That’s why I really do believe that nursing is the backbone of specialist care.”

Check out Kim’s full interview to learn more about the importance of nurses in delivering effective medical cannabis treatment plans .

How do medical cannabis nurses support patients? Our specialist doctors are typically responsible for assessing your eligibility for a medical cannabis prescription, but our nurses play a central role in supporting you once you’ve started treatment.

Being able to access this ongoing support is crucial for patients because starting medical cannabis treatment can involve a period of adjustment.

Say, for example, you’ve been prescribed a THC vape but are unsure about the dosage or how to use it properly. Our nurses are specially trained to address any concerns you might have and answer all of your questions.

Below, we’ve outlined just some of the ways our nurses can support you throughout your treatment journey.

1. Medical cannabis nurses support patient education For many patients, having a medical cannabis prescription will be a brand-new type of treatment that they haven’t tried before.

This means there can be a lot of information to take in all at once, whether that’s understanding the different medical cannabis strains available or the frequency that treatment should be taken.

Medical cannabis nurses help patients feel more confident in administering their treatment, offering a friendly face and a wide variety of relevant resources to support their needs.

This kind of education is especially important because there is still some confusion around medical cannabis in the UK.

As demonstrated during our 2025 UK medical cannabis patient survey , 22% of patients said they were either unsure or incorrect about whether prescribed cannabis flower can legally be smoked. (It can only be vaporised, not smoked)

By giving clear, practical guidance, our nurses help patients understand not just what they have been prescribed, but also how to use it safely and legally.

2. Medical cannabis nurses offer personalised care As Kim Kaye, the Head of Nursing at Releaf, continued to tell us in our interview with her, medical cannabis nurses offer a vital role in delivering personalised follow-up care to patients .

She said: “ If it’s a patient I regularly see, I tend to start by recapping how things were at the last time we spoke and what we’d planned to do, whether we’d kept things the same, adjusted any dosages or swapped over to a different cultivar or oil, and then find out how things have been going since and make a plan for the next month of treatment.”

This kind of support is particularly important because medical cannabis care is highly individual.

For some patients, it can take time to understand which dose, timing or formulation works best for their needs, so offering a personalised approach is important for both new and existing patients.

“ If the appointment is with a patient I’ve not met before, I ease into things a bit more because I want to form a good relationship from the very beginning” , Kim said. “I ask them to tell me more about themselves, what their journey has been like, and what led them to Releaf in the first place.”

By taking the time to listen and ask the right questions, our nurses help make the process feel more manageable and less overwhelming for patients.

This is something that’s reflected in our 2025 UK medical cannabis patient survey as well, the largest survey of active UK medical cannabis patients ever conducted where 78% of patients said they thought their treatment was “extremely effective” or “very effective ” at managing their primary condition.

Behind these outcomes is a care model that’s built on communication and trust, which Releaf nurses like Kim are central to delivering.

3. Medical cannabis nurses offer advice for side effect concerns Like any prescribed treatment, medical cannabis can cause certain side effects in some patients. And this is another area where the experience of a medical cannabis nurse can make all the difference.

While almost two-thirds of our patients report no side effects from medical cannabis treatment, most of the patients who have experienced them were able to manage them effectively by discussing them with our world-class clinical team .

As shown in our 2025 UK medical cannabis patient survey, our patients reported that their side effects were managed effectively by either:

adjusting the dose

changing the formulation

modifying the timing of administration

being given additional guidance

This is why having ongoing clinical support from a trained medical cannabis nurse is so important.

4. Medical cannabis nurses reinforce patient confidence Starting any new form of medical treatment can be difficult, especially when there are other variables to consider. But medical cannabis is commonly associated with certain other additional pressures and sociocultural barriers .

From social stigmas, like how to explain their prescription to friends and family, to lifestyle factors, like being able to work or drive when taking it, these factors can feel daunting to some patients.

In fact, our research shows that only 26.7% of patients feel completely confident using their prescribed cannabis-based medication outside the home.

Medical cannabis nurses can help change this narrative, encouraging patients to navigate any concerns they might have by offering reassurance, practical advice and clear guidance around responsible use.

#OurNursesOurFuture: supporting patients beyond the prescription International Nurses Day gives us a chance to recognise the commitment that nurses bring to healthcare every day.

At Releaf, we see this ourselves day in, day out, and fully understand just how crucial a role nurses play in ensuring patients remain at the front and centre of their care.

As Kim, our Head of Nursing, puts it herself: “ Lots of the patients I see now at Releaf have fallen through the cracks, so to speak, they’ve not been given the support they really needed, and it’s such a shame.

“We’re able to give them that comfort, that support, and that care, and some of the results we hear of are quite simply astonishing in terms of quality of life.”

To find out whether you’re eligible for medical cannabis treatment and tailored follow-up care from our team of nurses, head to our medical cannabis eligibility checker .