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Websters New World Dictionary
care-giver(ker'giv'er) n. a person who takes care of someone requiring close attention, as a young child or an invalid.
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Shelly Anne Shirley Arnold
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Patients should begin by consulting with their own physicians about medical use of cannabis. If you don't have a medical record of treatment for serious illness, you may not be eligible for marijuana under California's Compassionate use Act.
Many physicians wrongly fear that they can be prosecuted under federal law for recommending marijuana medically. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld a permanent injunction by the U.S. District Court in Northern California forbidding the government from punishing California doctors for recommending marijuana under Prop. 215. The US Supreme Court has upheld the Ninth Circuit's ruling (Conant v. Walters: Oct. 15, 2003). Physicians are accordingly free to recommend marijuana for their patients, so long as they don't actually assist them in obtaining it.Over 1500 California physicians have recommended medical marijuana under Prop. 215. None have been federally prosecuted for doing so. |
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Although it isn't required to qualify as a caregiver for a medical cannabis patient it is always helpful to have some Certified Nursing Assistance Classes.
CNA classes will train you to assess patient needs, how to interact effectively with the patient, and how to make observations regarding a patient's condition and state of mind. CNA training will provide you with a background on how to help diagnose and treat human diseases and injuries. This training will also teach you about drug interactions and preventative health care measures. Care includes feeding and bathing, changing linens, grooming, or helping move a patient. CNA training prepares you to record vital signs, recognize changes in a patient's condition, administer medication as directed by a doctor or a nurse, prepare and administer catheters, bladder irrigations, enemas, and douches. Work also includes the storing, sterilization, and preparation of medical supplies. Certified nursing assistants play a critical role in successful healthcare by extending the capability of nurses and doctors to provide better patient care. Check with your local hospital ; college ; or university for a schedule of classes.
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California Health & Safety Code 11362.5 Proposition 215
caregiver definition
Sections( d , e)
(d) Section 11357, relating to the possession of marijuana, and Section 11358, relating to the cultivation of marijuana, shall not apply to a patient, or to a patient's primary caregiver, who possesses or cultivates marijuana for the personal medical purposes of the patient upon the written or oral recommendation or approval of a physician.
(e) For the purposes of this section, "primary care-giver" means the individual designated by the person exempted under this section who has consistently assumed responsibility for the housing, health, or safety of that person. (Added by 1996 initiative Measure Prop 215 §1, eff.: 11/6/96.) |
