Nurses Week – My Journey In Nursing 

By Elisabeth Mack, MBA, BSN, BA, RN

From the time I was a little girl, I knew I wanted to help people—I just didn’t know how. During high school, I served as a Candy Striper at Hinsdale Hospital outside of Chicago, where I grew up. I loved the fast-paced environment and the deep relationships I saw forming among the staff and patients. When it came time for college, I chose Elmhurst College, the #1 nursing school in Illinois.

When I realized I needed six psychology courses for my BSN—and only twelve to earn a second degree—I decided to double major in nursing and psychology. I completed both degrees in four years. Along the way, I discovered a love for business, economics, politics, geography, and religion—thanks to Elmhurst’s rich liberal arts foundation, which has shaped students since 1871.

After graduating in 1987, I started my career at Hines VA Hospital as the evening charge nurse on a 30-bed psychiatric unit—one of eight units totaling 240 beds. I loved it. But after three years, I was ready for an adventure. In 1990, I packed up and moved to California, where I worked six more years in hospitals. Over time, I found myself increasingly drawn to the business side of medicine rather than clinical practice.

In 1996, I earned my MBA in Healthcare Administration and became Director of Clinical Operations for a local health plan. From there, I managed Government Operations for Health Net, transitioned into sales for PacifiCare and UnitedHealthcare, and later joined Warner Pacific as a Sales Consultant. Eventually, I was recruited by Anthem Blue Cross to serve as Sales Manager for Employee Benefits for the County of San Diego—helping brokers design plans, enroll employees, and manage client accounts.

I loved every minute of it. My nursing background helped me teach employees, employers, and brokers alike that healthcare is, at its core, about health. Or so I thought.

The implementation of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) changed everything. Confusion replaced clarity. Compliance work increased. Networks narrowed. Costs rose. Brokers were frustrated, and no one truly understood the new system. At the same time, I faced devastating personal loss—the death of my husband, Warren, after 15 years of marriage. Some days were almost too much to bear.

At the end of 2014, I had a serious bicycle accident that left me needing surgery—and a new approach to healing. While on leave, my chiropractor suggested a medical massage using CBD. Skeptical but open-minded, I agreed.

The CBD massage was heavenly. My whole body relaxed for the first time in months. I started using CBD oils internally and soon noticed I needed far less ibuprofen and muscle relaxants to manage my pain. Within a week, I was at the library devouring every book I could find on cannabis science and PubMed research on cannabinoids.

That discovery changed my life.

I met a cannabis physician, obtained my medical cannabis card, and interned at his practice to learn how to support patients. But when I visited dispensaries, I realized a critical gap:
People were making cannabis medicines. People were selling cannabis medicines. But no one could explain how to use cannabis as medicine.

At that moment, I knew my next calling: to be a Cannabis Nurse.

I left Anthem Blue Cross and launched my own practice, Holistic Caring. I networked through the emerging cannabis industry, just as I had during 20 years in insurance. I joined the board of Women Grow, found the Cannabis Nurses Network, and proudly served as Treasurer on the Board of the American Cannabis Nurses Association (ACNA).

I opened a Prop 215 dispensary and counseled patients daily on how to use tinctures, topicals, extracts, edibles, patches, and vaporizers safely and effectively. I founded Balance RX to source vetted medicines, buying wholesale and selling retail to meet patient needs. Working alongside a palliative care physician in San Diego, I built a practice, hired and trained nurses, and grew an ecosystem of compassionate care.

My training manual eventually became my first book:
Cannabis for Health: Become a Coach.

Designed for both laypeople and professionals, it covers methods of administration, how to manage THC, and starting protocols for conditions like chronic pain, cancer, autoimmune diseases, dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s, GI disorders, epilepsy, and autism. I published it so that patients would have a reliable, practical guide—because I couldn’t personally counsel everyone who needed help!

I became a Provider for the California Board of Registered Nursing to expand my reach from dozens to thousands of nurses and patients.

Then Covid-19 hit.

Recognizing the need for online education, I built a virtual network to house the Cannabis Nurse Health Coach Program and a growing library of courses.
My mission became clear: to train millions of people in cannabis therapeutics and empower individuals to heal themselves with plant medicine.

Meeting my wife Sherri and merging Holistic Caring with The Green Nurse was another dream realized. Together, we purchased Bloom Hemp CBD to complete a true healing ecosystem—combining coaching, education, and clean, effective products under one roof as Holistic Caring Network.

Today, as a nurse educator, entrepreneur, and leader, I’m honored to apply everything I’ve ever learned to this work. I envision a Cannabis HMO—a place where patients can learn, heal, and thrive with natural therapies, free from the cycle of endless prescriptions and procedures.

After healing myself, I knew I had to help others find that same freedom.
And in doing so, I returned to my original dream: helping people.

Nurses are builders, advocates, teachers, and leaders. We can do it all—clinical practice, business, education, and policy. Owning my companies allows me to live at the intersection of all of it, creating a healthier future one life at a time.

It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful every day to be part of changing the healthcare paradigm in America.

Peace and blessings,
Elisabeth Mack, MBA, BSN, BA, RN

If you’re ready to explore how plant-based healing can transform your health journey, I’m here to guide you.
Visit HolisticCaring.com to learn more, enroll in our courses, or schedule a consultation. Together, we can create a healthier, more hopeful future.

And if you’re ready to experience the difference that clean, potent hemp extracts can make, visit BloomHemp.com to shop our collection of CBD oils, topicals, and wellness products. Carefully crafted, third-party tested, and always rooted in love and healing.

Elisabeth presenting at the Senior Center on Cannabis as Medicine

Elisabeth won Educator of the Year at ACNA 2023 Annual Conference