Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, marking a decade of leadership in cannabis medicine education, patient advocacy, and healthcare professional training. What began as a grassroots nursing initiative has grown into a national educational platform dedicated to empowering patients, nurses, and healthcare providers through evidence-informed cannabinoid therapeutics.

A decade ago, the landscape of cannabis medicine was vastly different. While cannabis was becoming part of the public discourse, most healthcare systems provided minimal guidance. Patients were already turning to cannabis for relief from pain, anxiety, cancer symptoms, and for end-of-life care. Despite this, clinicians often had no formal training on the endocannabinoid system or cannabinoid therapeutics, leaving patients to experiment on their own while the medical community remained largely silent. That’s what we aimed to address. 

Founder’s Reflections from Nurse Sherri and Elisabeth Mack

Over a decade ago, our work as nurses caring for patients with serious illnesses revealed a significant pattern. A large number of our patients were turning to cannabis to alleviate symptoms such as pain, anxiety, nausea, and sleep issues. However, they were navigating this complex therapeutic landscape alone, without the guidance of healthcare professionals. Patients were left to their own devices when it came to choosing products, determining dosages, and visiting dispensaries, lacking essential clinical support. We know, because we were those patients too. That’s why we created the systems to navigate it – for us all. 

As nurses, our professional ethos is to meet patients where they are, empowering them with the knowledge to make informed healthcare decisions. It became profoundly clear that the use of cannabis was not merely a cultural trend but an established clinical reality. These patients required knowledgeable healthcare providers to guide them in using cannabis therapies safely and effectively alongside conventional care. This critical realization was the catalyst for what has grown into the Green Nurse movement, a commitment to providing expert, compassionate care in the realm of plant-based medicine.

The Story of Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse

The Green Nurse Group: A Grassroots Beginning

The Green Nurse Group originated from a grassroots initiative to support patients in need of guidance on cannabis and hemp therapies. Nurses observed that many individuals were already using these plant medicines but often lacked safe, clinical supervision. The mission was clear: to meet patients where they were and offer informed, compassionate care to improve outcomes.

Initial efforts focused on assisting patients with obtaining medical cannabis certifications, conducting patient consultations, hosting community education events, and engaging with clinicians who were curious yet cautious about cannabis therapeutics. In this nascent field, nurses learned alongside their patients, interpreting emerging research, and advocating for safer, more regulated access.

What distinguished the Green Nurse Group was its foundational nursing framework. Cannabis was viewed not as a recreational substance or retail item, but as a potent therapeutic tool demanding thorough assessment, strict safety protocols, precise dosing education, and diligent follow-up care.

From its inception, this work has been driven by a core belief that remains central to our mission today: every patient deserves expert clinical guidance when navigating the complexities of cannabis therapeutics.

The Green Nurse: A Clinical Identity Emerges

As the work expanded, it evolved into “The Green Nurse”, a professional identity for nurses venturing into a new practice area where conventional medicine lacked clear guidelines. “The Green Nurse” became a symbol for nurses focusing on holistic cannabis care, including:

• Patient education and endocannabinoid system literacy
• Cannabinoid therapeutics and clinical dosing guidance
• Care of the endocannabinoid system and harm reduction

This model positioned nurses as clinical stewards, bridging the gap between patients, dispensaries, and traditional healthcare. As public interest in cannabis medicine grew, so did the demand for structured education. Nurses nationwide sought training to safely guide patients with cannabinoid therapeutics, highlighting the need for a larger, more formalized program.

The Green Nurse Podcast: Expanding the Conversation

When the National Council of State Boards of Nursing issued a call to action, we felt compelled to respond. Their directive was clear: all nurses, nursing students, and advanced practice nurses must be knowledgeable in six essential areas of cannabis medicine. This mandate ignited our mission to dismantle stigma and provide the education needed to empower patients in their healthcare choices.

As cannabis-based medicine transitioned into the mainstream, it became evident that education was vital, not just for patients, but for healthcare professionals navigating this rapidly evolving field. In response, we launched “The Green Nurse Podcast: Living Your Best Life and Clinical Conversations” as an educational platform to broaden these discussions.

Through insightful interviews with clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, and leaders in plant medicine, the podcast created a forum where complex topics could be explored with thoughtfulness and clarity. It amplified the voices of nurses within the cannabis movement and fostered deeper conversations about the clinical, ethical, and societal dimensions of plant-based therapies. Ultimately, the podcast became a natural extension of our original mission: to provide education, transparency, and compassionate guidance with integrity.

Holistic Caring: Advancing Endocannabinoid Education

While The Green Nurse was developing a clinical care model grounded in nursing practice, Holistic Caring was simultaneously building a broader educational platform focused on advancing understanding of the endocannabinoid system and cannabinoid therapeutics. We attended national conferences and read PubMed to translate evidence-based science into practical applications and protocols. 

Founded with the mission of expanding education around cannabis and hemp medicine, Holistic Caring focused on developing structured educational programs that could reach both patients and healthcare professionals seeking reliable, science-informed guidance. Everything is online, available to all.  Through courses, webinars, and community learning environments, Holistic Caring emphasized:

• endocannabinoid system science
• cannabinoid therapeutics
• dosing strategies, initial titration, and product selection
• harm reduction principles and safety protocols 
• integrative plant medicine education

At a time when the endocannabinoid system was still largely absent from medical and nursing curricula, Holistic Caring played an important role in bringing ECS literacy into the conversation. The organization helped create accessible online educational pathways for individuals and professionals interested in understanding how cannabinoid medicine interacts with the body’s regulatory systems. In many ways, Holistic Caring has built the educational infrastructure needed for responsible cannabis integration into healthcare.

Two Missions, One Vision

Although The Green Nurse and Holistic Caring developed along different paths, in Boston and San Diego, their missions were closely aligned.

The Green Nurse focused on clinical guidance and nursing leadership, helping patients safely navigate cannabinoid therapies and how to care for the endocannabinoid system without cannabis and hemp  products. 

Holistic Caring focused on creating in-depth education and systems literacy, helping both patients and professionals understand the science and principles behind cannabinoid medicine.

Both organizations shared a common goal: to ensure that patients and healthcare professionals have access to thoughtful, responsible education about cannabis care and the endocannabinoid system.

It eventually became clear that the strengths of these two organizations were deeply complementary.

The Merger: Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse

Recognizing this alignment, the organizations came together to form Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse, uniting education, clinical guidance, and community outreach under one collaborative platform. This merger allowed the work to expand in meaningful ways, combining:

• Holistic Caring’s educational programs and ECS training infrastructure
• The Green Nurse’s nursing-led patient care model

Together, the organizations created a more comprehensive approach to cannabinoid education and patient support. The unified platform expanded its work to include something for both patients and providers: 

• patient consultations and individualized care plans
• healthcare professional education and training (CEUs for nurses) 
• nurse mentoring, mastermind groups, and leadership development
• public education on cannabinoid therapeutics via live webcasts
• expanded awareness of the endocannabinoid system

By integrating clinical guidance with education, Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse created a model that places nursing leadership at the center of cannabis care. 

The Holistic Caring Network: Building an Ecosystem

As the work grew, so did the vision. It evolved from individual programs into a broader, collaborative ecosystem, leading to the creation of The Holistic Caring Network, our private community for learning and connection. This platform was designed to unify education, mentorship, patient guidance, and community engagement. It connects patients, nurses, educators, plant medicine advocates, and Bloom Hemp CBD products through shared learning, professional development, and collaborative initiatives. Through the network, individuals can:

• Access free and paid educational courses and webinars
• Connect with cannabis nurses and patient guides
• Participate in community discussions
• Explore emerging research in cannabinoid and plant medicine
• Receive mentorship and professional development support

The network is built on the core belief that education, collaboration, and community are essential for the responsible integration of plant medicine. Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse no longer operate as isolated initiatives but now function within a connected ecosystem that champions learning, clinical guidance, and professional partnership.

Ten Years of Nursing Leadership in Plant Medicine

Looking back over the past decade, the evolution of Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse reflects more than organizational growth. It reflects a broader shift in healthcare. We must address the root causes of illness, otherwise we will continue paying for symptoms. Addressing the ECS allows us to make a real difference.  Nurses are uniquely positioned to guide emerging therapies because holistic nursing practice integrates biological science, patient education, ethics, harm reduction, and compassionate care.

As cannabis medicine continues to evolve, this nurse-led model provides a framework for safe and responsible integration into healthcare. In many ways, the work that began with cannabis nursing now informs conversations about other emerging therapies, including psychedelic-assisted care and integrative plant medicine. The foundation remains the same:

• Meet patients where they are.
•  Provide evidence-informed and science-based guidance.
•  Prioritize safety, dignity, and compassionate care. 

What began as a grassroots nursing initiative has evolved into a national ecosystem grounded in a simple principle: Patients deserve informed, compassionate guidance when navigating plant medicines. That’s what we do! 

As we celebrate ten years of Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse (2016-2026), the work continues, supporting patients, educating healthcare professionals, and helping shape the future of plant medicine in healthcare. 

Put our experience to work for you by requesting a private consultation or purchasing an online educational program that will put you on the path to maximizing the benefits of plant medicines today. 

Cannabis Nursing is an emerging speciality, and we are the nurses in the field educating and empowering consumers to make choices that are best for them, their condition and health goals. We have created educational programs and resources to help both consumers and clinicians get started no matter where they are on their journey of using plant medicine.  At Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse and Bloom Hemp CBD, we have something to offer everyone. Join our FREE Holistic Caring Network, an educational network for all learners that is run by nurses and our pharmacist. 

Free Educational Programs 

• Free Introduction to Cannabis Therapeutics 
• Free ABCS of CBD Program 
• Free Learning Library 
• Free Educational Videos 

Paid Educational Programming & Services 

• Patient Educational Programs
• Patient Consultations
• Professional Educational Programs 
• Cannabis Nurse Health Coach Certificate Program 
• Green Nurse Clinician Mentoring 

Bloom Hemp CBD is a Woman and nurse-owned CBD emporium leading with quality, safety, and patient-centered care. What makes us different? 

• USDA Organic Hemp CBD with symptom-targeted formulations 
• Certificate of Analysis on each product 
• Free Emailed Nursing Care Plans
• Free Nurse Line to answer questions – 970-404-HOPE (4673)

April Offerings

As we move into April, we’re celebrating 10 years of Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse. This season invites reflection, integration, and continued growth. For a decade, we’ve supported patients and educated healthcare professionals in cannabis and plant medicine, and we’re just getting started.

To honor this milestone, we’re offering April anniversary savings across our education, clinical guidance, and plant-based wellness resources. After ten years, one thing remains clear: healing begins with understanding the body’s innate intelligence. Spring begins in physiology. Let’s tend it well.

• • Holistic Caring & The Green Nurse – Save 50% off all programs and courses designed to support cannabinoid-informed care, psychedelic education, integration practices, and whole-person healing. Use code Nurse50 at checkout.
  • Bloom Hemp CBD –  Save 20% off all Bloom Hemp CBD products crafted to gently support the endocannabinoid system, emotional balance, sleep, and nervous system regulation. Use code SPRING20 at checkout.
    Bundles are already discounted 30% and are excluded from this offer.
  • Mood Healers – Explore intentionally crafted mushroom products to support microdosing and mindful practices. Receive a free gift with your purchase when you use code GREENNURSE at checkout. 

Deepen your knowledge, support your body with plant-based care, and find thoughtful guidance on your healing journey. We are here to walk alongside you with integrity, education, and compassion every step of the way.

Nurses Elisabeth Mack and Sherri Mack bring more than 70 years of experience, with the past decade devoted to advancing education and clinical care in cannabis and psychedelic therapeutics. We remain committed to offering grounded, responsible guidance in cannabinoid therapeutics and plant-based medicines that support and nourish the endocannabinoid system.