Shonda Broom, RN, CLNC, is a registered nurse, patient advocate, educator, and founder of Coram Deo Holistic Center, whose work is rooted in a simple principle: patients should be able to talk honestly about cannabis without fear of stigma, punishment, or compromised care.
Her advocacy combines nursing, patient education, harm reduction, public health, and policy work. Rather than treating cannabis as an issue separate from healthcare, Broom focuses on the systems patients encounter every day, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, workplaces, families, and healthcare organizations.
In Louisiana, Broom was instrumental in advancing SB 270, known as Ryan’s Law, which established protections for certain terminally ill patients seeking access to medical cannabis while hospitalized. Her work now includes helping healthcare and long-term care organizations understand the law, identify implementation gaps, and develop policies that support safe and compliant patient access.
Broom also works on cannabis and mental health education for adolescents and young adults, emphasizing information that neither demonizes cannabis nor minimizes potential risks. Her approach includes honest conversations about brain and behavioral health, problematic use, medication interactions, warning signs, and when professional intervention may be appropriate. She brings the same patient-centered perspective to workplace policy, encouraging employers to distinguish lawful medical cannabis use from impairment while considering patient rights, workplace safety, and state law.
Across each of these areas, Broom’s goal is to make cannabis safety practical. Patients should not have to choose between honest disclosure and respectful treatment, between legal medical cannabis access and appropriate healthcare, or between managing a health condition and keeping a job.
“My work began from a conviction that patients deserve healthcare environments where cannabis use can be addressed through evidence, education, and open dialogue rather than stigma.”
Shonda Broom is a strong ambassador for the Patient Voice Award because she turns nursing experience and patient advocacy into changes in healthcare policy, workplace practices, education, and institutional care that directly affect patients’ lives.
Cast your vote for Shonda Broom, RN, CLNC, for the 2026 Patient Voice Award!
Learn more about Shonda Broom, RN, CLNC:
Organization website: Coram Deo Holistic Center
Instagram: @daholisticgypsy
LinkedIn: Shonda Broom
Additional resources: Da420Nurse
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