Updated: Leaf411 Cannabis Nurse Guidance Call FAQs
Updated: Leaf411 Cannabis Nurse Guidance Call FAQs
How to schedule your call with a cannabis nurse, what to do if you need to change your appointment, service fees and discount codes available from our business members.
If you follow Leaf411’s social media or receive our newsletter, you’re likely aware of changes we’ve implemented to build long-term sustainability of our services. This includes shifting to a scheduled guidance call model that ensures predictability and efficiency for both callers and our nurses. We’re also charging a modest fee for guidance calls, with discount codes available through our member businesses.
We know you may have questions about the fee-based scheduling process and updated our FAQs in response.
FAQs
1. Where do I go to set up an appointment?
From the Leaf411 homepage, click on the “Let’s Talk!” button, which will take you to the Leaf411 client portal hosted on the vcita scheduling app.
2. How do I schedule a guidance call? Should I choose the 30-minute or 15-minute option?
After you click on the “Let’s Talk” button on Leaf411’s homepage, you’ll be redirected to our scheduling page hosted on the vcita website.
Select the Leaf411 30-minute nurse guidance call if it is your first time contacting us through this online appointment service. Even if you’ve previously called the hotline, you will want to select the 30-minute option for your first scheduled appointment.
This 30-minute guidance call allows the nurse to cover one ailment or concern. For example, if you are seeking guidance on using cannabis for insomnia and also for migraines, those are two different issues that may require different products and approaches. Therefore, we would ask for you to schedule two separate appointments–one appointment to discuss cannabis and insomnia, and a different appointment to cover cannabis and migraine pain.
The 15 minute follow-up call is ideal for any remaining questions you have about your primary issue after the initial consultation. The shorter time takes into account the nurse already having your history with your previous 30 minute guidance call so it should allow enough time.
On the scheduling website, a calendar will pop up with available dates and times. Pick the time slot that works best for you and then complete your contact information and you’re good to go! The Leaf nurse will call you at the number you provide on the day and time you selected.
3. How much does a guidance call cost?
On January 17, 2022, we will begin charging a modest fee for our guidance calls. A 30-minute session will cost $25 and a 15-minute follow-up session will cost $25. Keep in mind that our guidance calls can help you quickly find the right products for your needs, saving you significant money spent on trial and error.
Where do the fees go? Your payment helps us cover expenses, including paying our cannabis-trained RNs a fair market rate for their work. Leaf411 continues to operate as a nonprofit nurse-led organization supported by business memberships, grants and individual donations.
4. My availability has changed after scheduling a call. What should I do?
We ask that you provide at least 48 hours’ notice if you need to change or cancel your guidance call. You can cancel the appointment through the confirmation email you receive or by calling the Leaf411 office at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411).
5. Will I be charged if I don’t show up for my guidance call?
The short answer is yes, you will be charged via the card on file unless you cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before your consultation. This is similar to how other clinical service providers work. We encourage you to download and read our 2-page Terms of Service at this link if you have any questions.
Why do we charge for no-shows? We do not overbook calls. To ensure that we talk to all callers in a timely manner, we cannot accommodate callers who connect late to appointments or extend the appointment past the originally scheduled time frame.
6. Do you offer financial assistance?
We know that for some people, our modest $25 fee could be a hardship. Fortunately, our business members are providing discount codes covering the cost of a guidance call. You will need to contact one of our members directly to get the code. See the screenshots below for examples of this information on our members’ websites:
These codes are entered onto the scheduling website instead of having to enter payment information. See below for a screenshot of the payment box from the scheduling page, with the red arrow pointing to the “Have a coupon” option. When you’re using a discount code from one of our members, you’ll want to click on “Have a coupon” then enter your code. After your code is entered, you’ll be able to finalize the appointment.
7. Is my information safe with vcita?
You can trust that our new scheduling system provided by vcita will keep your information secure. The HIPAA-compliant site will allow you to pick a day and time when our nurses are available for a phone appointment, and even gives you an option to select your preferred nurse if more than one nurse is available at your preferred time. You’ll also have the ability to send and receive documents or messages to our team via the client portal, and will receive reminders about upcoming appointments.
8. What if I have a quick question, can I still call the hotline instead of making an appointment?
We are moving all of our services to the online appointment system. Even a quick question often has additional concerns—for example, an inquiry about a particular product might be followed up by questions about how it will interact with other medications or supplements.
If you are unsure about whether your question warrants an appointment or have other questions about scheduling, please call and leave a message at 844-LEAF411 (844-532-3411). A nurse will return your call within 24-48 business hours.
9. Does the nurse call me or do I call them at the appointed time? Is this a video call?
The Leaf nurse will call you at the number you provided at the date/time you selected when signing up for an appointment. The appointments are conducted only by phone, not by video at this time.
10. I wasn’t able to catch the nurse’s phone call/I was on another unexpected important call/didn’t hear my phone/etc. How many times will the nurse try to call me back during the 30-minute time slot? How can I call the nurse back? Will I get charged?
- The Leaf411 nurse will call you at the number you provided when you set up your appointment. If there is no answer, the nurse will send an email immediately stating we attempted to call at the scheduled time. The nurse will then switch over to the hotline (844-532-3411) and wait for 5 minutes. During this 5-minute window, you can call the toll-free hotline at 844-532-3411 to proceed with your scheduled appointment.
- Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours before your appointment or you will be charged a $25 no-show fee. However, we realize that sometimes life happens. Emergencies or financial hardships are always taken into consideration, so please contact Leaf411 if you need to cancel less than 48 hours before your scheduled appointment or if you had an emergency during your scheduled call.
11. What happens during the call?
Generally, you can expect the following steps during your call:
- Background information: We gather demographic data at the time of scheduling your appointment to ensure our services match caller needs. This information also helps us determine what cannabis and CBD hemp options exist based on laws in your home state. We may gather some of this information up-front or as part of the conversation, depending on the caller’s and nurse’s needs.
- Triage: Our Leaf nurses ask a series of questions to understand your main healthcare need and goals for using hemp CBD or marijuana, including whether you’re completely new to the plant or an experienced user. We’ll also ask questions about your activities of daily living to make sure that our education is tailored to your day-to-day realities.
- Reviewing your history of marijuana and hemp use: When considering marijuana or hemp CBD as a therapeutic tool, it’s important to factor in where you’re coming from. Are you an experienced current user, or was the last time you consumed over 20 years ago? Have your past experiences been positive or negative? It’s okay if you have hesitations or concerns based on past experiences! Our Leaf nurses are non-judgmental and provide balanced information based on your goals and preferences.
- Offering education and guidance: Once we have a clear sense of your health needs and goals, we provide evidence-based education and guidance that empowers you and can save you time and money when it comes to finding the best cannabis options for pain, insomnia, or other needs. Our Leaf nurses also understand that most callers want relief without impairment so that they can go about their daily lives. Depending on your previous experience, we may start with Cannabis 101 education on your endocannabinoid system, followed by general guidance on product types and routes of administration. For example, our Leaf nurses may suggest starting with a ratio product that contains specific amounts of THC and CBD. Our Leaf nurses also take into account any physical limitations that you may have to recommend easy-to-use product formats, like gummies that can easily be divided into smaller doses.
12. What will not be provided during the nurse guidance call?
It’s important to understand what types of information we can and cannot provide based on our professional scope of practice. Our Leaf411 nurses work within their scope and standard of practice. Registered nurses (RNs) provide guidance and education; however, they do not practice medicine and are not legally allowed to give specific dosages to take at a specific time of day for a specific length of time.
If you have multiple health concerns that are beyond what our nursing guidance can provide, we will suggest a consultation with a cannabis-trained advanced practice nurse (Nurse Practitioner) or a cannabis-trained physician who can take you into their private practice as a patient. We have wonderful resources for trained cannabis clinicians listed under our Resources tab on our website.
Unfortunately consultations with private practice cannabis clinicians are not covered by insurance carriers yet, so please check pricing in advance and assume that it will be an out-of-pocket expense for you.
13. What happens after my call?
Our Leaf nurses understand that as you begin trying different products and learn more about cannabis, additional questions may come up. We take notes as part of our nursing practice which will be uploaded to your online account following the call. That makes it easy for us if you have follow-up questions so that we can pull up those past notes and pick up right where we left off. You can also schedule your follow-up consultation with the same Leaf nurse you previously talked to.
Schedule your Leaf411 cannabis guidance call today!
With our recent transition to a schedule-based system, our goal is to make trustworthy guidance on cannabis use more accessible and convenient for you. We look forward to hearing from you! Visit our homepage to get started scheduling your nurse guidance call, or call us at 844-532-3411 if you have questions about the new scheduling system.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.
Rethinking RSO for Cancer or Other Health Concerns
If you’ve been researching cannabis for health, you’ve likely come across the term “RSO” but may wonder what exactly this less-common cannabis product is, and whether you should try it
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN, and Eloise Theisen, NP
Written by Denise Rustning
RSO, also known as Rick Simpson Oil, Phoenix Tears, full extract cannabis oil (FECO) or full spectrum oil (FSO) has gotten a lot of hype for its potential to treat cancer or other significant health issues. We sometimes get questions about RSO on the hotline, and our nurses are up-to-date on the research on RSO.
While RSO has its place in the world of cannabis therapeutics, it’s not a magic bullet and may not be the best option for your particular health concern. Today we’re going to provide some background information on RSO to help you assess whether it’s worth your time and money to seek out this potent cannabis extract.
What is RSO?
RSO is named after Rick Simpson, a Canadian medical marijuana activist who popularized the process for creating fully-extracted cannabis oil (FECO), using pure light aliphatic naphtha or 99% isopropyl alcohol as solvents to extract all of the plant’s cannabinoids, terpenes and other phytochemicals. At the time, Simpson used only high-THC strains, resulting in an extract with a high concentration of THC when compared to other cannabis products.
In other words, RSO is a product type, just like edibles or flower–it is not a brand or a specific strain.
When Rick Simpson first started making RSO, he also created treatment protocols for using RSO topically or orally. However, it’s important to note that Simpson was not a doctor and he was basing his protocol on the known science at the time in the early 2000s.
A lot has changed since then, and our Leaf nurses are up to date on the latest research around RSO. We encourage you to book a consultation with us before adding this high-potency product to your wellness regimen.
What RSO looks like
When you see an RSO product, the first thing that will stand out is its appearance which can be as a thick dark greenish-brown oil to a product that looks like honey, often packaged in syringes or capsules. Don’t get confused by the syringe! The syringe allows the thick liquid to push out slowly, though it can still be tricky to handle and precisely dose due to the thick, sticky nature of the oil.
RSO has been suggested online and by manufacturers to be used on the skin, taken by mouth, or mixed into edibles. Leaf411 nurses do not ever suggest applying a topical product to an open wound unless suggested by a wound care specialist and/or dermatologist. RSO should not be smoked or vaped.
How strong is RSO?
You’ll find different brands offering RSO, though RSO is not as popular as edibles, flower or other types of concentrates.
RSO products containing high THC concentrations can be found at some legal dispensaries. Each RSO syringe may contain 600mg or more of THC, but you’ll want to check the specific product label for cannabinoid test results since amounts may vary.
Depending on the concentration, each militer (ml) in the syringe may provide 100mg or more of THC. For comparison, many of our Leaf411 members’ cannabis edibles contain only 10mg THC per piece, which is 1/10th the amount you’ll likely find in a single ml of RSO.
Variations in today’s RSO products on the market
Since Rick Simpson first created his legendary extract, manufacturers have improved extraction processes. Also, product testing on the legal market provides more transparency around the amount of THC contained and other cannabinoids within each RSO syringe.
However, as the term “RSO” has become more popular, some brands have begun using the term more loosely for concentrates that are very different from what Simpson originally created.
Some manufacturers are now creating RSO ratio blends which feature THC plus significant amounts of CBD, CBG or other cannabinoids. Keep in mind that these high-powered options are different from the original RSO and may have very different effects. This doesn’t mean they are the wrong product for you, it just means to be aware of the ingredients in every product you purchase.
Also, the cannabis cultivar (strain) matters when it comes to RSO’s effects, since the extract’s power rests in a unique and potent combination of full-plant compounds. However, most manufacturers don’t provide this level of detail on their packaging or test results. Even the same brand’s RSO product can change over time due to variations between different plant harvests.
All this is to say that RSO can be a tricky product to buy, especially if consistency, accurate dosing, and potency are your top priorities.
Here are some examples of RSO/FECO products on the market today:
- Takoma Wellness RSO products (Washington, DC, medical dispensary)
- Herbiculture RSO products (Burtonsville, MD, medical dispensary)
- Peake Releaf RSO products (Rockville, MD, medical dispensary)
- A Therapeutic Alternative RSO products (Sacramento, CA, dispensary)
- Myriam’s Hemp Enhanced CBD FECO (Online hemp CBD retailer)
RSO is not a magic cure
RSO has gained a reputation for its powerful healing abilities, but unfortunately there is no evidence-based research on what types of conditions that RSO might help most with. In some cases, it may even do harm if someone delays research-backed treatment options while experimenting with RSO. Some research also suggests that RSO could contribute to more aggressive growth with certain cancers. To learn more about the challenges from an oncologist who has used cannabis as part of their patients’ treatment regimen, click this link.
How do you use RSO?
The cannabinoids in RSO have already been activated, so there’s no need to heat up the oil before using it. RSO can be added to food and beverages or used to make edibles, but remember that a very small amount goes a long way–RSO is very potent!
RSO can also be used topically on the skin, but only with the guidance of your clinical team that is providing care for your skin condition.
At Leaf411, we do not recommend RSO in a new, inexperienced user because of the potency and challenges with accurate dosing, especially with a concentrate as potent as RSO. Even increasing your dose by a little bit can make a big difference in the types of effects you feel. RSO’s high potency can lead to increased side effects like dry mouth, rapid heart rate, anxiety, paranoia and even hallucinations.
RSO is not designed for injecting–don’t be fooled by the syringe! We also recommend against vaping or smoking RSO due to the solvents used in its production, which can be damaging to lungs if vaped and explosive at high temperatures.
Store your RSO at room temperature away from light, and make sure it is secure and out of reach of pets and children.
Questions about RSO? Our cannabis-trained nurses can help!
Chances are that if you’re looking at RSO options, you are facing a serious health concern. The last thing you want to do is make things worse or complicate your treatment options.
While your primary care doctor and specialist team may not fully understand cannabis therapeutics, our Leaf nurses do. Our fully-licensed cannabis-trained RNs can help point you in the right direction when it comes to understanding the research and finding the right questions to bring to your medical treatment team. We don’t replace specialists like oncologists, but we are able to look at the evidence and provide general information on different cannabis options, including RSO. We can also connect you with cannabis-trained clinicians who can review your records and make specific recommendations based on your case.
Click this link for our online scheduling service and find a day and time for your Leaf nurse consultation call.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.