Cannabis Treatment: Ethical Principles & Decision Making Framework

This report examines the ethical principles and decision-making frameworks relevant to the use of cannabis as an alternative medicine. It highlights key ethical considerations such as non-maleficence, justice, beneficence, veracity and autonomy, emphasizing the importance of minimizing harm and ensuring equitable access to treatment. The report also outlines a decision-making framework based on the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) guidelines, including identifying patient needs, adhering to nursing standards, considering practice context and risks, and ensuring competent personnel administer treatment. References to relevant books and journals further support the analysis of ethical and practical considerations in integrating cannabis into healthcare.

Ethical Principles &
Approached Decision
Making Framework to
Alternative Medicine
Cannabis
Contents

1.0 Cannabis Base Treatment and Ethical Principles......................................................................3
2.0 Decision-making framework.....................................................................................................4
2.1 Identify need/benefit..............................................................................................................4
2.2 Reflect on scope of practice and nursing practice standards.................................................4
2.3 Consider context of practice, governance and identification of risk.....................................4
2.4 Select appropriate, competent person to perform activities...................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

1.0 Cannabis Base Treatment and Ethical Principles
Ethical principles specifically play an important role while performing quality nursing
practice. Basically, ethical principles promote both harmony and safety while providing
alternative treatments (Cannabis). Based on the information given by McDonald and Then,
(2019), beneficence, autonomy, veracity, non-maleficence, and justice are said to be 5 ethical
principles that are required to be taken into consideration at the time of offering alternative
treatments (Cannabis).
Non-Maleficence: In terms of alternative treatments (Cannabis), it can be said that nurses
and midwiferies would require to keep their focus on serving best quality medical services in
order to keep patients from any sort of harm. In order to do so, it is must for individuals to
understand both the side effect and limitations of alternative medicines because then only they
might become able to serve individuals with best suitable medicine approaches. As mentioned by
Sperling and et. al., (2013), practices and actions of nurses and midwiferies are “right” as long as
they are in the interest of patients and avoid negative consequences.
Justice: Considering economical options, it is much needed for nurses and midwiferies
would require to avoid treat patient with alternative medicine. Also, in starting of delivering the
treatment of alternative medicine (Cannabis), it is required for the individual to focus on constant
supply medication and these medicines are also required to be reliable. In present context, justice
may comply with equal quality of care, equal distribution, distribution of resources and easy
access to medication in order to serve the best to patients.
(Image reference: Accountability of Public Administration, Ethics and accountability in
government, Ethics in public administration, 2020)

2.0 Decision-making framework
In relation to the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA) frameworks support
safe professional practice, adopting cannabis as an alternative drug can be assessed as follow.
2.1 Identify need/benefit
According to Walker and et. al., (2020), in relation to addressing provide beat treatments to
patient for assessment of outcome. This is requiring to address the history of patient. Here,
alternative medicine can be used to cure their person form that particular illness and helps there
in being fit. his cultural believes and its effectiveness can also use.
2.2 Reflect on scope of practice and nursing practice standards
This is important that all staff has to comply with all existing nursing standard and practice
to provide better treatment and apply all function in appropriate way.
2.3 Consider context of practice, governance and identification of risk
There are number of stake holder which have to be addressed while using this alternative
medicine. These are doctors, nurses, regulating bodies, suppliers and law enforcement
authority’s doctors, nurses, regulating bodies, suppliers and law enforcement authorities.
2.4 Select appropriate, competent person to perform activities
This is also essential to provide good training to nursing staff and co-workers in relation to
achieving objectives and performing in effective way.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Kempen, P.H., & Fedorova, M. (2019). International Law and Cannabis. Vol (2), United
Kingdoms: Intersentia Ltd.
Sperling, R. A., Karlawish, J., & Johnson, K. A. (2013). Preclinical Alzheimer disease—the
challenges ahead. Nature Reviews Neurology. 9(1). 54.
McDonald, F.J. & Then,S,N. (2019), Ethics, law and health care: a guide for nurses and
midwives: Ethics and legal decision-making frameworks , 2nd edn., London, Red Globe
Press, pp. 17-19.
American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing : scope and standards of practice, 3rd edn.,
United States: Silver Spring, Maryland.
Walker, L. A. & et. al., (2020). Cannabidiol (CBD) in dietary supplements: Perspectives on
science, safety, and potential regulatory approaches. Journal of Dietary
Supplements, 17(5), 493-502.
Online
Accountability of Public Administration, Ethics and accountability in government, Ethics in
public administration. (2020). [Online]. Available through:
<https://article1000.com/ethics-accountability-government>.
Decision-making framework summary - nursing. (2020). [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Codes-Guidelines-Statements/
Frameworks.aspx>.