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.